- A Swedish film-maker profiles the life of Jordan-based Leila Khaled - the first female hijacker.
- Leila Khaled was the first woman to hijack a plane. In 1969, she showed her grenades to the terrified passengers by order of the Che Guevara commando unit of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. Through the ensuing media bombardment, she put the Palestinian nation on the global map. The pretty 24-year-old Leila became a hero to many Palestinians, including the Swedish/Palestinian teenager Lina Makboul, who is now a filmmaker. At least Leila dared to do something, Lina thought at the time. She visits Leila 35 years later with a camera, and finds a woman who does not regret anything.—Anonymous
- Swedish film-maker, Lina Makboul, idolizes Leila Khaled and travels to Jordan to meet her in Amman where she lives with her husband and two sons. Leila, born in Haija, on 9th April 1944, was forced to flee along with her family during 1947 to a refugee camp in Lebanon after a terrorist group 'Stern Gang' massacred scores of civilians in Deir Yassin, Kibya, and Tantura. During 1967, her hopes to return home were crushed after Israel defeated Egypt, and she took it upon herself to free Palestine. She became the very first female to hijack TWA Flight 840 on August 29, 1969 to Syria with 2 hand grenades taped to her waist and a pistol tucked in her panties. This incident caught the world's attention, and she became a celebrity so much so that she had to undergo plastic surgery. After a 3-week detention she was let go by Syrian authorities. On September 6, 1970 she and others hijacked several planes - a move that led to her detention in Britain. But other hijackers did succeed, leading to a negotiated release of the hostages in exchange for Leila. She accompanies Lina to Shatila, Lebanon - the site of another massacre - the place she describes as the real Palestine - where young children talk about demonstration and liberation. Lina also travels to Haifa and brings back mementos of Leila's crumbling family home on Stanton Street. Leila, who also runs the Palestinian National Council, is regarded as a freedom fighter, has no regrets for her past actions - but nothing will prepare her for the final question that Lina will ask her via telephone from Sweden.—rAjOo (gunwanti@hotmail.com)
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Top Gap
By what name was Leila Khaled: Hijacker (2006) officially released in Canada in English?
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