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The Iranian Embassy Siege Trivia Quiz

The Iranian Embassy Siege in London and the following events first brought the SAS to eye of the general public. What do you remember?

A multiple-choice quiz by YoungSmart. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
YoungSmart

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
161,068

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
20

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
12 / 20

Plays
854

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 20

1. What was the name given to the operation of rescue (which took place in London)? Hint

Operation Torch

Operation Nimrod

Operation Thunderbolt

Operation Eagle Claw

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Question 2 of 20

2. Originally six armed hostile gunmen walked into the embassy. How many survived? Hint

Two

One

Three

Four

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Question 3 of 20

3. How many SAS soldiers entered the building during the assault? Hint

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Question 4 of 20

4. True or False. An SAS marksman killed a terrorist?

True

False

5. A trooper is about to enter through the front, but he doesn't know "Salim" (actual name Awn), one of the armed gunmen, is waiting for him. Awn takes aim, but is knocked off his shot by a police constable. What is the officer's name? Hint

Trevor Locke

Mat Farell

Anthony Edwards

David Robinson

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Question 6 of 20

6. Near a flight of stairs, an SAS soldier hits a gunman with the butt of his MP5. Why didn't the operative shoot the gunman? Hint

The gunman was holding a hostage by the neck, as he approached from behind he deemed it safer to hit him with the butt than shoot

Neither of these reasons

Both these reasons

Hostages were in the direct line of fire

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Question 7 of 20

7. The SAS operatives were placed in two groups. What were they? Hint

Red and Black team

Green and Black team

Blue and Green team

Red and Blue team

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Question 8 of 20

8. What was the name of the room/area where the only hostage was killed during the raid? Hint

Telex Room

In the Foyer

Tea Room

Meeting Room

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Question 9 of 20

9. What were the injuries suffered by members of the SAS during the assault? Hint

1 face injury, 1 abdomen injury, 1 chest wound

1 face wound, 2 burnt

1 leg wound, 1 finger injury, 1 burnt

1 abdomen injury, 1 burnt

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Question 10 of 20

10. One of the soldiers was of a different nationality to the rest (who were British). What was his nationality? Hint

Fijian

Papa New Guinean

Samoan

Philipino

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Question 11 of 20

11. Going in to "Nimrod", the British conceded the possibility of a high casualty rate. What was deemed an acceptable casualty rate(some say the expected casualty rate)? Hint

50%

40%

30%

60%

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Question 12 of 20

12. What sparked the Army's involvement? Hint

Shots being fired towards the police outside

The over all danger of the situation

Threats against the Prime Minister

The murder of a hostage

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Question 13 of 20

13. What was the terrorist's motivation for taking the building? Hint

They were against Ayatollah Kohmeni's regime in Iran

They wanted immigrant laws changed

They wanted money

They wanted Britain to make reparations for their involvement in Oman/Mirbat some years earlier

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Question 14 of 20

14. Which of the following time frames is closest to the time the assault took? Hint

41-50 minutes

21-30 minutes

11-20 minutes

31-40 minutes

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Question 15 of 20

15. The SAS sat and watched the replay on television with the Prime Minister (Margaret Thatcher)

True

False

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Question 16 of 20

16. The terrorist gunmen did NOT use which of the following? Hint

Kalashnikov AK47

Spanish .38 revolver

RDG-5 frag grenade

Browning 9mm pistol

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Question 17 of 20

17. On what day did the siege end? Hint

Saturday

Tuesday

Sunday

Monday

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Question 18 of 20

18. The one gunman who survived was given what sentence? Hint

15 years

A life term

20 years

2 months

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Question 19 of 20

19. Did the SAS wear body armour?

Yes

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Question 20 of 20

20. The van used by the SAS after the assault to get back to the barracks was: Hint

Privately owned by a nearby resident

Hired

Owned by the Army

They used a car to get back to the barracks

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. What was the name given to the operation of rescue (which took place in London)?

Answer: Operation Nimrod

All listed were actual operations. "Torch" was the Allied landing in North Africa in WWII. "Thunderbolt" was the Israeli raid on Entebbe. Eagle Claw was the unsuccessful attempt, undertaken by Delta Force, to rescue 66 hostages from the American Embassy in Tehran.

2. Originally six armed hostile gunmen walked into the embassy. How many survived?

Answer: One

Although a number would surrender, only one survived "Nimrod".

3. How many SAS soldiers entered the building during the assault?

Answer: 32

8 rappelled down the front from the roof of the building. A 4-man SAS team reached the balcony from an adjoining building and another 4-man entry team entered via a previously weakened plaster wall of a building next door which shared a wall.

4. True or False. An SAS marksman killed a terrorist?

Answer: False

Whilst there were sniper teams at the siege, none made a confirmed kill.

Answer: Trevor Locke

Once he tackled Awn, they struggled on the ground. An SAS trooper ordered Locke to roll away. He didn't and the trooper was forced to fire only inches from Locke's face. Awn was killed. For his courage, Locke was awarded the George Cross Medal.

6. Near a flight of stairs, an SAS soldier hits a gunman with the butt of his MP5. Why didn't the operative shoot the gunman?

Answer: Hostages were in the direct line of fire

If the soldier fired he risked shooting hostages in the line of fire.

7. The SAS operatives were placed in two groups. What were they?

Answer: Red and Blue team

All members of red and blue team survived, although some did suffer injuries.

8. What was the name of the room/area where the only hostage was killed during the raid?

Answer: Telex Room

Two gunmen ran in and opened fire, killing one and wounding two. After realizing their attempts were useless they, threw down their guns and jumped in with the hostages. The SAS entered the room and demanded the hostages point out the gunmen. They did. The gunmen were killed.

9. What were the injuries suffered by members of the SAS during the assault?

Answer: 1 leg wound, 1 finger injury, 1 burnt

The burns were first degree and suffered by the Fijian as he got tangled in his harness and the rooms nearby began to catch fire.

10. One of the soldiers was of a different nationality to the rest (who were British). What was his nationality?

Answer: Fijian

He was the one that was famously caught in his harness as he went down the building.

11. Going in to "Nimrod", the British conceded the possibility of a high casualty rate. What was deemed an acceptable casualty rate(some say the expected casualty rate)?

Answer: 40%

Five gunmen killed, two hostages killed (one before-hand which bought the Army into the siege), of the original 26 hostages and six gunman. There were no SAS soldiers killed, although some suffered injuries.

12. What sparked the Army's involvement?

Answer: The murder of a hostage

The army's immediate intervention was sparked when a body was dropped out of the front door. After the raid, control was given back to the police.

13. What was the terrorist's motivation for taking the building?

Answer: They were against Ayatollah Kohmeni's regime in Iran

They also wanted 91 Arab prisoners released from Iran. But throughout the siege, their demands changed a fair bit.

14. Which of the following time frames is closest to the time the assault took?

Answer: 11-20 minutes

11 minutes seems to be the most common time the assault took, however I have heard a number of others like 17 minutes.

15. The SAS sat and watched the replay on television with the Prime Minister (Margaret Thatcher)

Answer: True

She sat between SAS soldiers and watched it with them on T.V.

16. The terrorist gunmen did NOT use which of the following?

Answer: Kalashnikov AK47

They were armed with several Russian made RDG-5 frag grenades, 1 Spanish .38 revolver, 3 Browning 9mm pistols and 2 Polish versions of the Skorpion Machine-Pistol. None of that saved them though!

17. On what day did the siege end?

Answer: Monday

It started the previous Wednesday. Which means the siege lasted approximately six days.

18. The one gunman who survived was given what sentence?

Answer: A life term

Fowzi Nejad was paroled in November 2008 after serving 28 years of his life sentence.

19. Did the SAS wear body armour?

Answer: Yes

They also took respirators and other similar pieces of equipment that had two effects. One of the effects was to help them breathe in the heavy smoke the other is that it also intimidated the gunman.

20. The van used by the SAS after the assault to get back to the barracks was:

Answer: Hired

Did you actually know that? Or was it a guess? What did you think of my second quiz.

Source: Author YoungSmart

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Stillman before going online.
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