BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (United News International) - Belgian authorities, in a daring daylight raid, succeeded in freeing hostages from a terrorist-held jumbo jet. The Aolian Airlines plane was hijacked two days ago en route to London with a passenger list full of returning British tourists. The jet landed initially in Frankfurt where the gunmen killed two passengers and one member of the flight crew before authorities allowed the plane to proceed to Brussels. The police assault in Brussels came while the jet was being refueled for a longer trip to an unannounced destination.
The attack is believed to be the work of the Islamic Vanguard, the middle-eastern terror group also linked to the attack on the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City earlier this year. "We may be entering a new era in the war against terrorism," said Olivier Garamfalvi, a spokesman for the Belgian government. "These groups are interested only in creating an atmosphere of fear in the democratic nations."
Police and army specialists the world over praised the Belgian team on its success. "Storming an airplane in the middle of a runway is one of the toughest tests a counterterrorist team can face," claimed one analyst. "The success of the operation is a testimony to the effectiveness and skill of the Belgian team and its leaders."
