Historical Context of Hostage-Taking

Hostage-taking and hostage diplomacy have been practiced throughout history as a means to achieve political or diplomatic goals. The use of hostages has evolved over time, with armed groups in the 1970s frequently hijacking airplanes and holding embassies hostage. In the 1980s, armed groups shifted towards kidnapping individuals and taking them to unknown locations. In recent decades, portable internet devices have allowed armed groups to combine publicity-seeking tactics with the security of kidnapping. Hostage-taking has also shifted from surreptitious kidnapping to hostage diplomacy, where autocratic states hold foreigners hostage using their criminal justice system.