This article reads more like a story than an encyclopedia entry. To meet Wikipedia's quality standards and conform with our Neutral Point of View policy, please help to introduce a more formal style and remove any personally invested tone. (December 2007)

In the morning of March 13, 1978, at 9:45AM three South-Moluccans seized the province hall in Assen, the Netherlands. Some of the people inside could escape by jumping out of the window, including the Queen's Commissioner of the Drenthe province. 15 women and 55 men were taken into hostage.

They demanded the release of 21 prisoners who were involved in earlier hijacks and free transport to Schiphol airport and out of the country. Ultimatum was set for March 14 at 14:00.

After a few hours, hostage Ko de Groot was executed in front of a window and thrown out, to prove the hijackers were serious. A photographer was wounded and an ambulance trying to get to the body of Ko de Groot was shot at.

During the night the marines of the BBE forced their way into the basement. The next day, March 14, at 14:34 they raided the building from outside and from the basement. It was just after the attackers decided to shoot two of the politicians and then planned to shoot one hostage each 30 minutes.

During the raid one hostage got wounded and later died.

[edit] See also

• Attempt at kidnapping Juliana of the Netherlands
• Indonesian consulate hostage 1975
• Train hostage Wijster 1975
• Train hostage De Punt 1977
• School hostage in Bovensmilde 1977
• Bijzondere Bijstands Eenheid
• List of hostage crises

[edit] External links

• (Dutch) Images from an armoured car unit which was involved
• South Moluccan Suicide Commando in MIPT Terrorism Knowledge Base
• (Dutch) News from local newspaper dagblad van het Noorden March 13, 1978
• (Dutch) News from local newspaper dagblad van het Noorden March 13, 1978
• (Dutch) News from local newspaper dagblad van het Noorden March 13, 1978

This Dutch history-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v • d • e