Crisis Management

Bombing of Pan Am Flight 103

I. FOCUS WORD:

As revenge for the bombing of a Berlin nightclub where two U.S. personnel were killed, President Ronald Reagan ordered the bombing of Libya's capital Tripoli and the Libyan city of Benghazi in 1986. The two men whom investigators believe are the bombers were in Libya.

II. FOCUS WORD: Though it was almost immediately evident that a bomb had caused the

disaster, it took more than eleven years to bring anyone to trial. Why would someone plant a bomb on Flight 103? Why Was Flight 103 Bombed? Though the flight held passengers from 21 countries, the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 hit the United States especially hard. Not only because 179 of the 259 people on board were Americans, but because the bombing shattered America's sense of safety and security. Though there is no doubt of the horror of this crash, this bomb and its aftermath was just the most recent in a string of similar events. As revenge for the bombing of a Berlin nightclub where two U.S. personnel were killed, President Ronald Reagan ordered the bombing of Libya's capital Tripoli and the Libyan city of Benghazi in 1986.

III. FOCUS WORD:

On December 21, 1988, Pan Am Flight 103 exploded over Lockerbie, Scotland, killing all 259 people on board as well as 11 on the ground. Why would someone plant a bomb on Flight 103? Pan Am Flight 103 taxied out of the gate at Heathrow Airport in London at 6:04 p.m. on December 21, 1988 - four days bOn December 21, 1988, Pan Am Flight 103 exploded over Lockerbie, Scotland, killing all 259 people on board as well as 11 on the ground

IV FOCUS WORD:

Not only because 179 of the 259 people on board were Americans, but because the bombing shattered America's sense of safety and security.

The U.S. and the U.K. were angry that Qaddafi would not turn over the wanted men, so they approached the United Nation's Security Council for help.

To pressure Libya into turning over the two men, the Security Council imposed sanctions over Libya.

V FOCUS WORD: Though the flight held passengers from 21 countries, the bombing of

Pan Am Flight 103 hit the United States especially hard.

Does the United States have any more right to "retaliate" than do the Arab countries?

The United States and the United Kingdom wanted the men tried in an American or British court, but Libyan dictator Muammar Qaddafi refused to extradite them.

The U.S. and the U.K. were angry that Qaddafi would not turn over the wanted men, so they approached the United Nation's Security Council for help.