41 Seconds to Freedom: An Insider's Account of the Lima Hostage Crisis, 1996-97

by Luis Giampietri, Bill Salisbury, Lorena Ausejo

Book Overview

On the tenth anniversary of the dramatic terrorist standoff in Lima, the vice president of Peru offers a firsthand account of a terrorist attack on a Japanese embassy celebration honoring the birthday... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0891419071
• ISBN13: 9780891419075
• Release Date: April 2007
• Publisher: Presidio Press
• Length: 202 Pages
• Weight: 0.73 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.2" x 9.5"

Customer Reviews

An early win in the war on terror.

Admiral Giampietri relates an early win in the War on Terror. He was one of the hostages at the Japanese ambassador's residence. When the MRTA guerrilla group took hostage a party of dignataries, the Peruvian government was at risk. Do they release 400 criminals and risk an increase in terrorist activities, or do they negotiate? The Admiral extablishes a link with the outside world and tells the government the activities of the guerrillas. Four months later, the government storms the residence and kills the guerrillas. Giampietri also relates his own past struggles against the SL and the current struggle against the MRTA. This is great history from a personal perspective. Later developments related how the hostage takers were given a heroes burial and the accusations of the executions of the MRTA guerillas. The Admiral disputes these accusations and shows the commandoes as being brave men willing to forgo their lives for those of the hostages. This is a great story from a brave sailor. I liked the earthy tone of the dialogue throughout the story. It shows the truthfulness of the story.