[skr]

I agree, but I'm just questioning the majority's (understandable) desire to blow up hijackers who might just be heading to Havana and not into a building. Or have bombs never been used as threats in such instances?

[supercat]

I agree, but I'm just questioning the majority's (understandable) desire to blow up hijackers who might just be heading to Havana and not into a building. Or have bombs never been used as threats in such instances?

If a hijacker claims to have a bomb, there are four possibilities:

1. The hijacker does not have a real bomb, but hopes he'll be given a free trip to Cuba (though why he'd want to go there is beyond me).
2. The hijacker does not have a real bomb, but is nonetheless suicidal (likely the case with the Sept. 11 terrorists).
3. The hijacker does have a real bomb, and is suicidal (may have been the case with the Sept. 11 terrorists).
4. The hijacker isn't suicidal, but for some reason set himself up with a real bomb anyway.

Of these scenarios, #4 is the only scenario in which it might be a "mistake" to jump a hijacker who claims to have a bomb. Given the observed severe consequences of giving in to hijackers and the fact that, of all the possibilities, #4 seems like the most remote, it would seem that the rational thing to do is refuse to obey hijackers who claim to have a bomb.