1975 OPEC Siege (the Vienna Hostage Crisis)

Carlos the Jackal

50 years ago, on December 21, 1975, six militants (self-titled as the “Arm of the Arab Revolution” group), led by the Venezuelan militant known as Carlos the Jackal (Ilich Ramírez Sánchez), attacked the OPEC (Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) headquarters in Vienna, Austria. 

In a politically motivated operation, with demands tied to Middle Eastern politics, particularly the Palestinian cause, they took more than 60 hostages, including oil ministers from major producing countries. 

OPEC HQ, Vienna.

After long negotiations, the militants obtained a plane and flew with selected hostages to several destinations, including Algiers and Tripoli. Ultimately, most hostages were released, though three people died—two security guards and a Libyan delegate. 

The incident increased Carlos’s notoriety and highlighted vulnerabilities in international organisations.

The 1975 OPEC siege showed how energy politics and terrorism intersected during the 1970s, intensifiying global concerns about the security of political and economic institutions. It also influenced later anti-terrorism and diplomatic security policies.