Seattle re NORJAK case summary, suspect description and press handling

FD-36 (Rev. 3-24-77)

FBI

TRANSMIT VIA: PRECEDENCE: CLASSIFICATION: XX Teletype ☐ Immediate ☐ TOP SECRET ☐ Facsimile XX Priority ☐ SECRET ☐ ________ ☐ Routine ☐ CONFIDENTIAL ☐ E F T O XX CLEAR Date 5/2/78

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RETURN TO MAG. CARD OPERATOR

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FM SEATTLE (164-81) (P) TO DIRECTOR (164-2111) PRIORITY BT UNCLAS NORJAK (A), OO: SEATTLE.

RE BUREAU TELETYPE TO SEATTLE, DATED APRIL 28, 1978.

THE FOLLOWING SUMMARY OF FACTS REPRESENTS WHAT SEATTLE CONSIDERS THE ONLY INFORMATION THAT SHOULD BE RELEASED TO THE PRESS:

A LONE WHITE MALE BOARDED NORTHWEST ORIENT AIRLINES FLIGHT NUMBER 305 AT PORTLAND, OREGON, ON NOVEMBER 24, 1971. AT APPROXIMATELY 3:22 PM, WHILE THE FLIGHT WAS EN ROUTE TO SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, HE INDICATED TO A STEWARDESS THAT HIS BRIEFCASE CON- TAINED A BOMB WHICH WOULD BLOW UP THE PLANE UNLESS HIS DEMANDS WERE MET.

THE HIJACKER DEMANDED $200,000 AND FOUR PARACHUTES IN

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[redacted] b6 b7c 164-81-7866

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Approved: ___ Transmitted 1721 2 Per ___ (Number) (Time) FBI/DOJ DB Cooper-32910

3-24-77 FBI TRANSMIT VIA: PRECEDENCE: CLASSIFICATION: ☐ Teletype ☐ Immediate ☐ TOP SECRET ☐ Facsimile ☐ Priority ☐ SECRET ☐ ___________ ☐ Routine ☐ CONFIDENTIAL ☐ E F T O ☐ CLEAR Date ___________

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PAGE TWO, SE 164-81, UNCLAS

EXCHANGE FOR THE SAFETY OF THE 36 PASSENGERS ABOARD THE PLANE. WHEN THE AIRCRAFT LANDED AT SEATTLE, NORTHWEST ORIENT AIRLINES COMPLIED WITH HIS INSTRUCTIONS. AFTER HE RECEIVED THE PARACHUTES AND MONEY, THE HIJACKER ALLOWED ALL PASSENGERS AND TWO OF THE AIRLINES STEWARDESSES TO DEPLANE.

" HE THEN ORDERED THE REMAINING CREW MEMBERS INTO THE FIRST CLASS SECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT AND INFORMED THEM HE DESIRED TO FLY TO MEXICO CITY. THE HIJACKER INSTRUCTED THAT THE PLANE PROCEED IN A SOUTHERLY DIRECTION AND FLY AT A LOW ALTITUDE AND SLOW SPEED WHICH ENABLED THE REAR DOOR OF THE PLANE TO BE OPEN DURING THE FLIGHT.

" THE HIJACKER APPARENTLY BAILED OUT SOME WHERE BETWEEN SEATTLE AND RENO, NEVADA, WHERE, WHEN THE PLANE LANDED, IT WAS DETERMINED THE HIJACKER, TWO PARACHUTES, AND THE RANSOM MONEY HAD DISAPPEARED.

" ARTIST CONCEPTION DRAWINGS OF THE HIJACKER WERE PREPARED BY THE FBI EXHIBIT SECTION. HE IS DESCRIBED AS FOLLOWS:

" WHITE MALE, AGE MIDDLE 40S,. HEIGHT 5'10" TO 6'0", WEIGHT 170 TO 180 POUNDS, COMPLEXION OLIVE, LATIN APPEARANCE, MEDIUM SMOOTH, HAIR DARK BROWN OR BLACK, PARTED ON THE LEFT AND COMBED BACK, EYES POSSIBLY BROWN. DURING LATTER PART OF FLIGHT HE

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Approved: ___________ Transmitted ___________ Per ___________ (Number) (Time) FBI/DOJ DB Cooper-32911

(Rev. 3-24-77)

TRANSMIT VIA: PRECEDENCE: FBI CLASSIFICATION: ☐ Teletype ☐ Immediate ☐ TOP SECRET ☐ Facsimile ☐ Priority ☐ SECRET ☐ ___________ ☐ Routine ☐ CONFIDENTIAL ☐ E F T O ☐ CLEAR Date ___________

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PAGE THREE, SE 164-81, UNCLAS

PUT ON DARK WRAP AROUND SUNGLASSES WITH DARK RIMS, VOICE LOW, SPOKE INTELLIGENTLY, NO PARTICULAR ACCENT, POSSIBLY FROM THE MID-WESTERN PART OF THE UNITED STATES; CHARACTERISTICS SMOKER OF RALEIGH FILTER TIP CIGARETTES, WEARING APPAREL: BLACK OR BROWN SUIT; NARROW BLACK TIE, BLACK DRESS SUIT; BLACK RAIN-TYPE OVERCOAT OR DARK TOP COAT; DARK BRIEFCASE OR ATTACHE CASE, CARRIED A PAPER BAG 4 X 12 X 14 INCHES; BROWN SHOES. REMARKS: VERY POLITE AT ALL TIMES.

" ANYONE HAVING ANY INFORMATION OR KNOWLEDGE BELIEVED TO PERTAIN TO THIS INDIVIDUAL, PLEASE NOTIFY THE SPECIAL AGENT IN CHARGE OF THE NEAREST FBI FIELD OFFICE, THE TELEPHONE NUMBER OF WHICH APPEARS ON THE FIRST PAGE OF MOST LOCAL TELEPHONE DIRECTORIES."

THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE AT FBIHQ ADVISED SEATTLE THAT THEY DESIRED TO BE PRECLUDED FROM RESPONDING TO PRESS INQUIRIES CON- CERNING THIS MATTER.

THE BUREAU IS REQUESTED, UPON APPROVAL OF THE ABOVE TEXT, TO TRANSMIT THE ABOVE INFORMATION, ALONG WITH A STATEMENT REQUESTING THAT ANY ADDITIONAL PRESS INQUIRIES CONCERNING THIS HIJACKING, BE REFERRED TO THE SEATTLE DIVISION. SEATTLE IS

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Approved: ____________ ..Transmitted ____________ Per ____________ (Number) (Time) FBI/DOJ DB Cooper-32912

(v. 3-24-77) TRANSMIT VIA: PRECEDENCE: CLASSIFICATION: ☐ Teletype ☐ Immediate ☐ TOP SECRET ☐ Facsimile ☐ Priority ☐ SECRET ☐ ______ ☐ Routine ☐ CONFIDENTIAL ☐ E F T O ☐ CLEAR Date ___________

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PAGE FOUR, SE 164-81, UNCLAS ESPECIALLY DESIROUS TO LIMIT ALL SPONTANEOUS PRESS RELEASES BY OTHER FIELD DIVISIONS OTHER THAN SEATTLE BECAUSE IT IS DURING THESE PRESS RELEASES THAT CONTRADICTIONS OCCUR AND CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION IS MOST LIKELY TO BE RELEASED INADVERTENTLY. ARMED AND DANGEROUS. BT

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Approved: ___________ Transmitted ___________ ___________ Per ___________ (Number) (Time) FBI/DOJ DB Cooper-32913