+ 1979 to June 1987 +

1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985

1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992

List of hostages - Back to the iran-contra contents

- Notice the masses of kidnappings, hijackings and other terrorist activities -

July 17 Somoza ousted by Sandinista National Liberation Front

Nov 04 Hostages taken at US embassy in Iran

Nov 14 US imposes embargo on arms shipments to Iran

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Apr 07 US cut ties with Iran
Apr 17 US banned imports from Iran
Apr 15 Failed US rescue mission

May 31 Aid bill passed for Nicaragua

Sep 22 Iran-Iraq war begins

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Jan 20 Reagan Inauguration
Jan 20 US embassy hostages Freed

February 1981 Reagan suspend aid to Nicaragua

August 1981 North joins NCS

December 1981 Reagan signs Contra Aid - Reagan signs National Intelligence Finding

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June 08 Project Democracy - North describe this as funding for covert operation.

July 1982 US becomes aware of Iran's support for international terrorism

Dec 21 First Boland Amendment - Bars CIA and Defense Department from spending money towards overthrow of Sandinistas

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Spring 1983 Operation Staunch - State Department effort to discourage other countries from selling arms to Iran.

Apr 27 Reagan addresses congress on Central America. Defends aid to Contras

December 1983 Congress imposes cap of $24 million on Contra aid
Dec 8 Second Boland Amendment approved

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Feb 10 Reiger kidnapped in Lebanon

Mar 7 Levin kidnapped in Lebanon
Mar 16 CIA Station Chief in Beirut kidnapped - William Buckley
Mar 27 Contra Aid solicited from Israel

April 1984 Contra Aid solicited from Saudi Arabia
Apr 6 Wall Street Journal reports CIA Mining harbor in Nicaragua

May 1984 Saudi Arabia agrees to contribute $1 million per month to Contras
May 8 Weir kidnapped in Lebanon
May 28 Stinger missiles sent to Saudi Arabia

June 25 Contra Aid rejected by congress

Summer 1984 Iran seeks TOW Missiles. North recruits Secord at Casey's suggestion

July 1984 Secord and North set up private arms sales to Contras
July 6 Saudi Arabia send first $1 million in Contra Aid

Sep 2 Contra loose their only helicopter in northern front. North wants to replace it. McFarlane thinks this is illegal
Sep 15 CIA transfers surplus aircraft to Contras

Oct 12 "Contra Manual" developed by CIA is made public

Nov 08 Contra Aid ban - intelligence fund bans money for Contras. White House decided ban did not include NSC
Nov 19 Shackley and Ghorbanifar discuss US paying ransom for hostages and trade US TOWs missiles for captured Soviet weapons.

December 1984 First of North's weapons shipments leave Portugal for Honduras
Dec 03 Peter Kilburn kidnapped in Lebanon
Dec 4-12 Kuwait airliner hijacked. Flown to Tehran. Two Americans killed. Iran refuses to extradite kidnappers.

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Jan 08 Rev. Lawrence Jenco kidnapped in Lebanon
Feb 11-12 Saudi King Fahd visits R. REAGAN. Agrees to pay 2 million per month in Contra Support.
Feb 13 Jeremy Levine escapes from kidnappers

Mar 11 Terry Anderson kidnapped in Beirut
May 01 President imposes economic sanctions on Nicaragua
May 28 David Jacobsen kidnapped in Beirut

June 14 TWA hijacking to Beirut. McFarlane suggests using Israelis to open channel to Iran.
June 19 Iran send message that it wants to help in TWA hijacking.
June 30

• TWA hostages released.
• Iranian parliament leader Rafsanjani is credited with success of hostage release.
• R. REAGAN make speech after hostage release that US gives no reward to terrorist.

June -July Taiwan gives aid to Contras
July 8 President's speech before American Bar Association...claims Iran part of "Confederation of terrorist states...America will never make concessions to terrorists."
July 11 Hostage - Arms swap proposed by Israeli arms dealer Schimmer
Mid July 1985 McFarlane visits R. REAGAN in hospital and briefs him on arms for hostage

Aug 2 McFarlane meets with Kimche. Iran wants 100 TOW misses for release of all hostages in Beirut. There are conflicting reports concerning R. REAGAN's approval of plan.
Aug 6 Shultz opposes plan for Israel to transfer 100 TOW missiles to Iran.
Aug 8 National Security Planning Group meeting on Kimche plan to swap 100 TOW missiles for hostages. Shultz and Weinberger against plan. Not clear who else opposes plan or if R. REAGAN approves.
Aug 15 Contra aid resumes again.
Aug 30 Israel transfers 100 TOW missiles to Iran.

Early September 1985 North goes to Lebanon to take control of hostage release.
Sep 14 An additional 408 TOWs transferred to Iran. Iran pays Ghorbanifar for TOWs
Oct 7 Cruise Ship Hijacked -Achille Lauro. American Leon Klinghoffer killed.

Early November Israel inquires if it could buy more TOWs to replace those sold to Iran.
Nov 14 Terry Waite reported that kidnappers are under pressure and they may kill hostages. Also reports Buckley dead.
Nov 22-25 Two separate shipment of Hawk missiles are flown to Iran. Both are rejected and to be returned. Money is returned to Iran.

Dec 4 Poindexter named to succeed McFarlane.
Dec 4 Congress allows intelligence aid to Contras
National Security Advisor.
Dec 5 North outlines plan to sell 3300 TOW missiles and fifty improved Hawk missiles to Iran for all US hostages and one French hostage.

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