Intelligence Squared

The Remarkable True Story of The Extremists Who Hijacked the 1970’s, with Jason Burke (Part One)

January 4, 2026

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  • The 1970s saw a significant evolution in political violence, shifting from the relatively performative hijackings of early figures like Leila Khaled to more lethally violent attacks later in the decade. 
  • The careers of 1970s extremists like Carlos the Jackal were heavily reliant on media attention and myth-making, often masking poor operational tradecraft and inflated capabilities. 
  • European radicalism of the late 1960s/early 1970s, exemplified by the Baader-Meinhof Gang (Red Army Faction), largely ended in the mid-70s (marked by Ulrike Meinhof's suicide), contrasting with the continued evolution of Middle Eastern extremism. 

Segments

Introduction and Context Setting
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(00:00:00)
  • Key Takeaway: The episode features Jason Burke discussing his book on 1970s extremists, covering figures like Leila Khaled and Carlos the Jackal.
  • Summary: The episode is Part One of an Intelligence Squared event featuring Jason Burke, International Security Correspondent for The Guardian. Burke discusses his book, ‘The Revolutionists,’ which covers the spectacular violence orchestrated by extremists in the 1970s. The discussion focuses on figures like Leila Khaled, Carlos the Jackal, and the Baader-Meinhof Gang, drawing on declassified archives.
Motivation for 1970s Focus
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(00:04:17)
  • Key Takeaway: Burke chose the 1970s to explore the historical shift in terrorism between the radicalism of the 1960s and the different landscape of the 1980s.
  • Summary: Burke began writing the book after reflecting on the Islamic extremist violence of the 2010s, prompting a historical look backward. He identified the 1970s as a crucial period showing a radical evolution in political violence. This decade marked a transition from early hijackers distributing leaflets to later acts involving mass casualties from vehicle bombs.
Leila Khaled’s Early Activism
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(00:09:11)
  • Key Takeaway: Leila Khaled was constructed as the striking, empowered public face of the PFLP during her early hijackings, which were highly performative for television.
  • Summary: Leila Khaled, interviewed by Burke, was a key figure in the early wave of skyjacking, starting in 1969. She came from an educated background and fled Haifa in 1948. The PFLP strategically used her image alongside a young Nicaraguan-American accomplice for their second hijacking attempt, which ended with her accomplice being shot by a Sky Marshal.
The 1970 Hijacking Mishaps
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(00:15:51)
  • Key Takeaway: A PFLP hijacking attempt in 1970 resulted in one jumbo jet being destroyed prematurely due to a timing error by the inexperienced hijackers.
  • Summary: During the 1970 hijacking spree, the perpetrators managed to seize three planes but blew up one in Cairo after lighting the fuses prematurely. The hijackers realized their explosive timers were set for five minutes instead of the intended eight, causing panic before they landed and fled.
Ulrike Meinhof and German Radicalism
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(00:21:31)
  • Key Takeaway: Ulrike Meinhof, a mainstream journalist, became radicalized and joined the Red Army Faction, with Gudrun Enslin being the true operational leader.
  • Summary: The Red Army Faction (RAF), colloquially the Baader-Meinhof gang, represented European radicalism, contrasting with Middle Eastern currents. Meinhof was a well-known, articulate journalist angry about post-Nazi Germany’s failures who joined the group after helping break Andreas Baader out of prison. Her subsequent life underground was tragic, ending with her suicide in 1976, which marked the end of that initial wave of European left-wing radicalism.
Carlos the Jackal’s Myth vs. Reality
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(00:30:04)
  • Key Takeaway: Carlos the Jackal’s fame stemmed from his talent for media manipulation and networking, not his poor operational skills, allowing him to survive even after major failures.
  • Summary: Carlos (Ilich Ramírez Sánchez) earned his moniker from a passport found in a safe house and a copy of ‘The Day of the Jackal’ found elsewhere. His tradecraft was poor, but he excelled at manipulating people and understanding the media’s role in projecting a message. He survived a near-execution by the PFLP leadership because his media aura, documented in press cuttings, was deemed more valuable than punishing his failures.
Theatricality of Terrorism
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(00:41:07)
  • Key Takeaway: Many 1970s extremists had acting or theatrical backgrounds, aligning with the concept of terrorism as ‘disruptive public theatre’ or ’exploding press releases.’
  • Summary: The theatrical element frequently appeared among these figures, suggesting they were projecting specific images of themselves. This aligns with Brian Jenkins’ 1972 analysis that terrorism is theatre. The goal was to use public violence as a means of communication and disruption, often described as creating ’exploding press releases.'