Dr. Bogdan-Alexandru TEODOR^

Dr. Mihaela TEODOR^

Abstract. Romania was one of the first four countries in the world and in the Black Sea area to set up a special division for anti-terrorist action on board of airplanes. There was about preventive measures as flight security and security controls on civil aviation airports around the country. This paper aims to provide a short history, the context and the official documents for the organization of the Romanian special division for anti-terrorist action on board of airplanes: “Şoimul”, the strategic body for anti-terrorist fight within the State Security Council.

In 1971, as the planning for the Action “Şoimul” was being done, Oradea Airport faced the only successful plane hijacking of the Romanian communist era, on May 27. Six people managed to hijack a plane and flew to Vienna. This speeded up the start of the special division and, one year later, the first graduates of “Şoimul” Task Force program were up in the air.

 Associate Professor Dr. within National Intelligence Academy, Romania