Canadian Caper

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Americans are grateful for the Canada-supported rescue of US diplomats during the hostage-taking of Tehran.

Canadian Caper (German: Canadian prank ) was the name for the secret rescue operation of six American diplomats during the hostage-taking of Tehran by Canada and the CIA .

Escape

In the course of the Islamic Revolution in Iran on November 4, 1979, around 400 students stormed the American embassy in Tehran and took the 66 Americans present hostage. They demanded the extradition of the former Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi , who was in a New York hospital . However, the United States refused.

The six diplomats Robert Anders, Cora Lijek, Mark Lijek, Joseph Stafford, Kathleen Stafford and Henry Schatz were in the consulate , an outbuilding of the US mission , during the protests preceding the storm . Shortly before the hostage situation began, they managed to escape into downtown Tehran, as did a group led by US consul Richard Morefield. The aim was the British representation. While the group with Morefield was picked up and brought back a short time later, the other made it to the British embassy. However, as protests were also raging here, she went to the nearby accommodation of Robert Anders. A six-day odyssey began, during which the group changed locations several times and also used the accommodations of prisoners of the embassy. During this time she was provided with food by the Thai chef Somchai Sriweawnetr, who had also previously worked in the American embassy.

Movie poster created by the CIA as part of the Legend

Eventually Robert Anders contacted his friend John Sheardown, a Canadian official. He invited the refugees to his home. When the Americans accepted this offer on November 10, 1979, they also met the Canadian Ambassador Kenneth D. Taylor. Taylor agreed to move the Stafford couple into his private home. The rest stayed with John Sheardown and his wife Zena. Henry Schatz, who had previously gone to a Swedish diplomatic institution, also joined the Sheardowns. Eventually, however, the entire group gathered at the Canadian ambassador's estate.

This asked the Canadian Prime Minister Joe Clark for assistance in saving the endangered Americans. Clark agreed. The group who had fled was provided with Canadian passports by diplomatic mail and Iranian visas forged by the CIA . The American secret service commissioned Tony Mendez , an expert on covert missions and rescue operations, to organize the escape. Mendez came up with the idea of ​​playing the group as a film team looking for suitable locations for a science fiction production. Argo was chosen as the film title , the script was supposedly based on the book Lord of Light (German title Herr des Lichts ) by Roger Zelazny . In order to increase the credibility of the simulated film project, an office of the alleged production company "Studio Six" was set up in Los Angeles with the help of make-up artist John Chambers . Advertisements were also placed.

In isolation, the Americans in hiding passed the time playing card games or Scrabble. Ambassador Taylor, meanwhile, ran errands to fake business and flown unnecessary personnel.

rescue

On January 27, 1980, US citizens made their way to Mehrabad International Airport in disguise , boarded Swissair's flight 363 to Zurich with Canadian passports and arrived safely where they were received by the CIA. The Canadian embassy was closed on the same day, Ken Taylor and the remaining staff then also left Iran.

The six US diplomats rescued were:

  • Robert Anders, 54 - consulate officer
  • Mark J. Lijek, 29 - consulate officer
  • Cora A. Lijek, 25 - Consulate Assistant
  • Henry L. Schatz, 31 - Agriculture Attaché
  • Joseph D. Stafford, 29 - Consulate Officer
  • Kathleen F. Stafford, 28 - Consulate Assistant

Taylor and Sheardown, their wives Patricia Taylor and Zena Sheardown and the embassy staff Mary Catherine O'Flaherty, Roger Lucy and Laverna Dollimore were awarded the Order of Canada , Canada's highest honor for civilians, after a successful rescue . Taylor was also awarded the Congressional Gold Medal of Honor by the US Congress . The involvement of the CIA was not announced until its 50th anniversary in 1997.

For his help in saving the six Americans from Tehran, the CIA awarded Tony Mendez the award "Intelligence Star of Valor" (German: Intelligence Star for Bravery), the second highest award of the CIA, as well as the "Intelligence Medal of Merit". (German: Secret Service Merit Medal). In 1997 Mendez was one of 50 selected former and current employees of the CIA with the "Trailblazer Medallion" (German: pioneer medal). According to ex-President Jimmy Carter, Mendez is one of the 50 most important agents in the history of the CIA.

Cinematic adaptations

In 1981 Lamont Johnson's film Escape from Iran: The Canadian Caper was released . Kenneth D. Taylor and John Sheardown were played in it by Gordon Pinsent and Chris Wiggins. In 2012 the thriller Argo was released , directed by Ben Affleck , who also took on the role of Tony Mendez. It was nominated for an Oscar in 2013 in seven categories and won the awards for Best Picture , Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Editing .

Comparable actions

The Operation Eagle Claw , the failed attempt, the taking of hostages from Tehran to solve militarily. In the private operation HOTFOOT, which is described in the thriller On the Wings of the Eagle , it was possible to free two employees of the EDS imprisoned in Tehran .

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Film review: Argo. (No longer available online.) Viennarama.at, November 9, 2012, archived from the original on March 4, 2016 ; Retrieved November 26, 2012 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / viennarama.at
  2. ↑ New in the cinema: “Argo” by and with Ben Affleck. (No longer available online.) Sol.de, November 8, 2012, formerly in the original ; Retrieved November 26, 2012 .  ( Page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.@1@ 2Template: Dead Link / www.sol.de  
  3. ↑ 30 years of liberation of the US hostages in Iran. Deutsche Welle, January 20, 2011, accessed November 26, 2012 .
  4. ↑ a b c d The Canadian Caper. The Canadian Encyclopedia, accessed November 26, 2012 .
  5. ↑ a b How the CIA Used a Fake Sci-Fi Flick to Rescue Americans From Tehran. Wired Magazine, April 24, 2007, accessed November 26, 2012 .
  6. ↑ IRAN EMBASSY COOK PLAYED HEROIC ROLE IN AIDING HOSTAGES. The New York Times, July 17, 1983, accessed November 26, 2012 .
  7. ↑ How the CIA Used a Fake Sci-Fi Flick to Rescue Americans From Tehran. Wired Magazine, April 24, 2007, accessed November 26, 2012 .
  8. ↑ How the CIA Used a Fake Sci-Fi Flick to Rescue Americans From Tehran. Wired Magazine, April 24, 2007, accessed November 26, 2012 .
  9. ↑ a b A Classic Case of Deception. CIA, April 14, 2007, accessed November 26, 2012 .
  10. ↑ Argo. Internet Movie Database , accessed June 10, 2015 .

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