The Bunker – News without the nonsense One battle after another – The extremists who hijacked the 1970s
7 snips
Oct 30, 2025 
Jason Burke, an international security correspondent and author of *The Revolutionists*, dives into the explosive world of 1970s extremism. He highlights how figures like Leila Khaled and Carlos the Jackal transformed political violence into global spectacle, leveraging media to amplify their messages. Burke connects the rise of terrorism to the chaos of decolonization and the cultural shifts of the era. He also examines how mass air travel became a battleground, reshaping security responses and influencing modern extremism. A riveting exploration of ideology, glamour, and violence!
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Global Revolution Seeded The 1970s
- The late 1960s unleashed an international revolutionary energy that shaped the 1970s wave of violence.
- Jason Burke traces many 1970s militants back to that global moment and its sense that everything was up for change.
Theatre Over Mass Killing
- Groups used spectacular, media-focused violence because their goal was attention not maximum casualties initially.
- Terrorism became theatre: hijackings and hostage-taking were designed as political communication.
TV Turned Attacks Into Global Theatre
- New media and televised coverage created a vast audience that militants learned to exploit.
- Events like Munich and the 1970 PFLP hijacking were chosen because journalists would be present to amplify the message.
