*YASSIN MEMBAR WHO HIJACKED A TANZANIAN PLANE IN 1982 IS NO MORE!*
Advocate YASSIN MEMBAR has passed away early today at the Jakaya Kikwete Heart Institute and will be laid to rest this afternoon.
On 27th February 1982, a youthful gang of five relatives (YASSIN MEMBAR,21, MOHD TAHIR,21, ABDALLAH ALI,22, MOHD ALI,26 and MUSA MEMBAR, 26 (their leader) hijacked a Tanzanian Boing 737 enroute to Dsm from Mwanza with 99 passengers aboard demanding immediate resignation of president JULIUS KAMBARAGE NYERERE. They forced the pilot, Captain DEO MAZURA, to fly to Nairobi, Kenya. Captain MAZULA had no option but to comply with all orders which were being issued from time to time by the hijackers. Hence the plane changed its destination and arrived in Nairobi a few hours later.
ROBERT OUKO, Kenya's Foreign Affairs Minister said the hijackers released three women and two children as they were crying non-stop. The plane refuelled and left at 12.15 Am for Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. After arriving and refuelling in Jeddah, the plane proceeded to Athens, Greece where two passengers were released.
While in Greece, MUSA MEMBAR, a former seaman and taxi driver, speaking in fluent greek, demanded that 100 coffins be brought to the airport as they were ready to die for the cause. Nonethelese, the plane proceeded to London-Stanstead.
On arriving at the Stanstead airport, UK, the hijackers said they belonged to the REVOLUTIONARY YOUTH MOVEMENT OF TANZANIA.
There were negotiations between the hijackers, Hon. Ambassador ANTHONY NYAKI and Secretary of state LORD CARRINGTON. After 26 hours of negotiations, the hijackers were totally exhsusted and hungry hence they released 7 hostages.
Then the hijackers demanded to speak to exiled Tanzanian opposition politician OSCAR SATHIEL KAMBONA. After he spoke to them as they demanded, they surrendered on 28th February 1982.
The weapons used by the hijackers to secure control of the aircraft included 2 wooden imitation pistols, an imitation hand grenade, two candles wrapped up to appear like gelignite explosive sticks and three knives.
They were taken ti court where they were sentenced to serve a three year jail term afterwhich they were granted political asylum status.
YASSIN MEMBAR then went to work for a London Law firm and thereafter studied law.
They returned to Tanzania and MUSSA MEMBAR died in 1992 in jail.
Up until his death, YASSIN MEMBAR was an advocate of the High Court of Tanzania.
*REST IN PEACE ADVOCATE MUSSA MEMBAR*.