ift) ABER 3, 1969 Cbroui 10 r CENTS i 0430 c GArfiel d Hijack Pilot Says the FBI Nearly Caused Shootout Tactics Held Peril to Crew, Plane

Transcription

1 ift) ABER 3, 1969 Cbrouiric 10 CENTS 0430 GArfield Hijack Pilot Says the FBI Nearly Caused Shootout Tactics Held Peril to Crew, Plane Amu York Times New York Captain Donald J. Cook Jr., 31, the commander of Trans World Airline's wayward Flight 85, complained bitterly Saturday that agents of the FBI had seriously jeopardized the lives of himself and his crew when the hijacked jetliner landed at Kennedy International airport Friday morning. "The FBI plan was damned near a prescription for getting the entire crew killed. and the plane destroyed," the pilot said. "41Te had arranged that there would be a minimum ground crew when we land at Kennedy and taxied to theed CPI Telcohoto Cook kissed stewardess Tracey Cole man upon their arrival in New York More Hijack News On Page 3

2 designated area on Runway 22. When we gat there, there I was the car with the replacement crew but there were also many other vehicles and many other men. "Some of them were carrying weapons and wearing military type flak jackets." OBSERVED Raphael Minichiello, the. AWOL Marine lance corporal who had hijacked the plane over C alif orni a, saw the agents as they approached the plane, the captain said. `This boy was no dope," he went on. "He was a very intelligent young man. He panicked and he started to scream, 'Get those people away from the airplane.' I said, 'Can I open the wini dow?' and he said, 'Do you I have to?' I said I did, so he said, `O.K.' and I stuck my head out and started screaming, 'We want everyone away from this plane. This boy is going to shoot us.' " But, Cook said, the agents ignored him and continued to move in on the plane. At one point, he said, he hollered down to a man standing under the wing in a TWA maintenance outfit, whom he was See Back Page From Page 1 The other crew members, including stewardess Tracey Coleman of Kansas City, supported Cook's charges. " 'We've got to get out of "We had the boy pretty here. Get us moving,' I well under control until Kensaid," he recalled. "And this nedy Airport when he didn't clown I wish I could get seem to care if he killed anymy hands on him shouted one or got killed himself." back, 'We'll get you moving said Flight Engineer Lloyd when we're ready to.' " V. Hollarh. 32. As the minutes dragged on, "I'm convinced he would Cook said, the young' man's have shot all of us if the FBI panic mounted. When he re- had not moved out," said alized that the fueling of the Miss Coleman. She said that plane hadn't even begun, he Minichiello later relaxed. exploded, "I'm going to kill "He was very relaxed, you bastard s" and "You very much at ease and we mothers double-crossed me. spent a lot of time listening Get me out of here." to music," she said. When the plane took off Finally, he fired a shot into the ceiling of the- - cockpit. from New York, Minichiello kept the entire crew in the Cook said he was sure that cockpit at gunpoint, the capwas meant as a warning to the agents outside the plane. tain said. After about 21) minute s, "I'm sure he already knew I Cook managed to convince was convinced he meant Minichiello that the crew had business," he said. not been responsible for the John F. Malone, the assist- FBI's actions. "I said, 'Raphant director in charge of the ael, you ought to know FBI office in New York, re- that. We've been with you fused to comment on Cook's long enough, for three takeoffs and three landings, and charges. you ought to know that our -1. sure was not a maintenance man. UHHU MHUHMU OHNOIMMUMUNIMMUMMUNHUMMINURUHIMPUUMH only interest is in keeping shootout he would have with happen to the crew members ourselves safe and our airthe police when the plane there. At one point he told plane in one piece.' landed in Rome and he them that he would see that talked about how he would "After that he treated us they stayed in the best hotel get away. Soon after the hireal well." if they came with him. At anjacking - During much of the flight, Rome he had told Cook that other point, he worried aloud was his destination, about whether he coud afford Cook said, Minichiello fussed but he insisted that the pilot to give them money. with his carbine, loading and report that it was Cairo in orunloading it, and even taking der to mislead Cook said he told Minihis pursuers. it apart to clean it. Somechiello not to worry because He thought he might need TWA flew to Rome regularly times he would walk away and leave it behind him on a hostages in Rome and worand would be able to make seat, within Cook's reach, as ried about which members of reservations for them at a if daring him to make a grab the crew to select. hotel. for it. Minichiello reminded Cook "I've given you guys an But Cook had seen a knife that he, Minichiello, was sin- awful lot of trouble," Miniand pistol stock sticking out gle and, therefore, free to risk chiello said. his life. "No matter what of the cartridge belt the "That's all right," Cook reyoung man was wearing. He happened," the captain recalls saying. "We don't take called, 'ate said he only had it personally." said he didn't know what kind of combat training Mini- one or two days to live." "What if the FBI finds out chiello had received in the Minichiello kept himself about how you didn't take Marines and that he never awake by taking No-Doz tab- the gun away?" Minichiello was sure whether the rifle lets and offered some to asked. was loaded as it lay within Cook. "I told him No-Doz not "Don't worry about that," reach. only keeps you awake but it Cook replied. "It's my duty makes you nervous and that to look after the safety of If it wasn't loaded and if he the had gone for it he was afraid I was already nervous crew and the plane." enough, " the captain said. he might have been killed. If By the time Minichiello disit was loaded, he was almost Even after Minichiello embarke d in Rome he was sure that he would have to started to work out his plan on a first-name basis with kill Minichiello. to take a policeman as hosthe crew. "So long, Don," he Cook said the young man tage in. Rome, he remained said. "I'm sorry I caused you talked expectantly about the solicitous about what would all this trouble." "I said, 'Good luck, Raphael,' " Cook recalled. The young man took with him Cook's card with his Kansas City address so he could write him and tell him how he finally made out. The crew was very relieved, Cook said, to discover Minichiello had been captured without being killed. The crew members thought Minichiello should be treated as someone who is emotionally disturbed and not as a criminal, Cook said. "The Rome police put the FBI to shame," the captain said. "The FBI just thought they were playing Wyatt Earp and wanted to engage in a shootout with a supposed criminal and bring him to justice. They would have wound up unnecessarily killing this boy and, probably, completely destroying a $7 million airplane and wounding or endangering the lives of four crew members. "The fact that all this was finally prevented proved out our point of View. It cost less in gunpowder and more in gasoline." IMMINWHOUHROMBHIMMINWHONOTHIMUMMINHOOMMUM IHNHIMBHUIMMUNIMUMBUOMMUMBHMOUORMINNIMMOM MUNIMMUNIMUNI

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10