Former Japanese Red Army operative Kozo Okamoto, 78, dies in Lebanon

Kozo Okamoto, a former member of the Japanese Red Army, died in Lebanon at age 78. He was one of the three militants who carried out a 1972 suicide attack at Tel Aviv airport. The operation was coordinated with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. Okamoto survived the attack, unlike his two companions who were killed. He later lived in Lebanon, where he spent his final years. His death closes a chapter on a figure linked to 1970s international terrorism. The Japanese Red Army was a left‑wing group that aligned with Palestinian militants. His passing may prompt renewed scrutiny of historic terror networks.