IC-814 Hijack 1999: Controversy and Facts: Demands for Terrorist’s Release and Body in Exchange for Hostages

Controversy Surrounding Netflix’s ‘IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack, which dramatizes the real-life 1999 hijacking of Indian Airlines flight 814 from Kathmandu by five terrorists, faced backlash from viewers when two of the hijackers were portrayed with codenames, Bhola and Shankar.

Facts:

On December 24, 1999, Indian Airlines Flight IC-814 was hijacked by terrorists from the Pakistan-based Harkat-ul-Mujahideen group. The hijackers forced the plane to land in Kandahar, Afghanistan, which was under Taliban control. Negotiations with the Indian government began, involving a team led by Ajit Doval, who was then a senior Intelligence Bureau official.

The hijackers initially demanded the release of 36 terrorists, $200 million, and the body of Sajjad Afghani, a Harkat-ul-Ansar commander killed in a jailbreak attempt. The Taliban advised the hijackers to drop the demands for money and the body, considering them un-Islamic. The hijackers then focused on the release of three key militants: Masood Azhar, Mushtaq Zargar, and Omar Sheikh. The Indian government eventually agreed to release these terrorists to secure the safety of the hostages.

Masood Azhar later founded the terrorist organization Jaish-e-Mohammed, responsible for several attacks in India, including the 2001 Parliament attack and the 2019 Pulwama attack. Omar Sheikh went on to be involved in the murder of Wall Street Journal journalist Daniel Pearl in 2002. The hijackers were supported by Pakistan’s ISI, complicating India’s efforts to resolve the crisis without conceding to the terrorists’ demands.

Key Points:

ISI’s Role: National Security Adviser mentioned that the hijackers were actively supported by Pakistan’s intelligence agency, ISI, making negotiations more difficult.

Hijacking Incident: On December 24, 1999, Indian Airlines flight IC-814 from Kathmandu to Delhi was hijacked by terrorists of the Pakistan-based Harkat-ul-Mujahideen group.

Route and Landing: The hijacked aircraft landed in Amritsar, Lahore, Dubai, and finally in Taliban-controlled Kandahar, Afghanistan.

Negotiation Team: India sent a team of officials, including Ajit Doval, to negotiate with the hijackers.

Initial Demands: The hijackers demanded the release of 36 terrorists, $200 million, and the body of Sajjad Afghani, a terrorist killed in an Indian jail.

Taliban’s Intervention: The Taliban suggested the hijackers drop the demands for money and the body, terming them un-Islamic.

Final Demands: The hijackers then insisted on the release of Masood Azhar, Mushtaq Zargar, and Omar Sheikh—in exchange for hostages.

Sajjad Afghani’s Background: Sajjad Afghani was a commander of Harkat ul-Ansar and played a central role in its operations in Jammu and Kashmir. He died during a jailbreak attempt in 1999.

Outcome: The Indian government eventually released Azhar, Zargar, and Sheikh to secure the hostages.

Aftermath: Maulana Masood Azhar later founded Jaish-e-Mohammed, responsible for several terrorist attacks in India, including the 2001 Parliament attack and the 2019 Pulwama attack.