Attacks like the one that targeted former US president Donald Trump this weekend are often seen as alien to Swiss political culture. Yet over the decades the Alpine nation has seen its share of sometimes lethal incidents. February 18, 1969: Israeli plane attack Palestinian extremists from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) open fire on an Israeli aeroplane at Zurich Airport. The pilot is killed, the Palestinian attackers are arrested and sentenced in court. February 21, 1970: Würenlingen tragedy A time bomb explodes in a Swissair plane after take-off from Zurich. The plane crashes in Würenlingen, canton Aargau, killing 47. Despite witness statements and inquiries suggesting a PLFP attack, no charges were brought and the circumstances were never fully clarified. September 6, 1970: Swissair hijack Just a few months after Würenlingen, a Swissair aircraft with 145 passengers and a crew of 12 is hijacked and flown to Jordan. Again, the PFLP is responsible. Some 16 ...
