Hide Article Text (OCR)
Arab Minister Slain; Syrian 'Target'MissedABl DHABI. United Arab Emirates (AP) - A gunman shot and killed a top United Arab Emirates official today in an apparent attempt to assassinate Syria’s foreign minister, au '.horities reportedSecurity officials arrested the white robed gunman after he tried to hijack a Czechoslovakian cargo plant'The victim was identified as Saif Ghobash 47, the No 2 man in the Foreign Ministry He was shot while seeing off Syrian Foreign Minister Abdul Halim Khaddam. who was unharmedInformed sources said Khaddam. who escaped one assassination attempt last December in Damascus, was the real target of the airport gunmanReports conflicted on whether there was more than one gunman Iraqi radio said a “group'' took part in theassassinationGhobash died at the hospital an official spokesman said Sources reported he was hit in the chest and shoulder by the white-robed man who fired a pistol The gunman was not identifiedAfter shooting the minister during airport ceremonies for the visiting Syrian official, the gunman took se ven persons hostage and forced them into the Czechoslovak cargo plane, which he tried to hijack the official spokesman said But he later surrendered the spokesman said without elaborationKuwait radio had reported earlier that two gunmen were captured after a brief gun battle with police on the airport tarmacThe airport reopened for air traffic several hours later, indicating that the incident was overThe assassin was being interrogated by police, officials saidGhobash had no political enemies we know of.” one source said “He was not influential enough to justifythis”Khaddam was not hurt and immediately flew home to Damascus, cutting short a tour of Persian Gulf states He was wounded in the arm earlier in the year when two gunmen on a motorcycle opened fire on his car The Syrian government blamed that attack on the Iraqi governmentReliable sources said Ghobash. 35. died from bullet wounds while being taken to a hospital First reports had said he was wounded in the armHe was Foreign Minister Ahmed Khalifa al Suweidi's deputy and performed many of the foreign minis ter’s ceremonial duties.Authorities closed the airport to all traffic and barred reporters from the area
Newspaper Details
Orange County Register
Orange, California, US
Tue, Oct 25, 1977
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
USA 22 May 2019
Other Publications Near Orange, California
Orange County Register
Orange City News
