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HomeUncategorizedCyprus remands suspected EgyptAir hijacker who wanted to see ex-wife

Cyprus remands suspected EgyptAir hijacker who wanted to see ex-wife

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An Egyptian man accused of hijacking a passenger plane and diverting it to Cyprus has told police he acted because he wanted to see his estranged wife and children, saying “what should one do?”

EgyptAir hijacker-AVThe suspect, whom Cypriot and Egyptian authorities have identified as Seif Eldin Mustafa, 59, surrendered on Tuesday after commandeering a domestic Alexandria-Cairo flight with 72 passengers and crew on board.

A Larnaca court on Wednesday ordered him to be held in custody for eight days on suspicion of hijacking, abduction, threatening violence, terrorism-related offences and two counts related to possession of explosives.

The latter counts were connected to his claim of being strapped with explosives, even though the belt he wore is believed to be fake, a police source said.

As he left the court compound in a police jeep, Mustafa stuck his hand out of an open window flashing the `v` sign for victory.

Mustafa took charge of the early morning flight by flashing what appears to be a belt stuffed with plastic wires and a remote control, directing it to the holiday island where he asked for the release of female prisoners in Egypt, and to come in contact with his Cypriot ex-wife.

“When someone hasn`t seen his family for 24 years and wants to see his wife and children, and the Egyptian government doesn`t allow it, what should one do?,” he told Cypriot police in a statement.

Details of his claimed predicament were not available.

All hostages were released unharmed after a six-hour standoff.

The suspect allegedly commandeered the aircraft 15 minutes after takeoff from Alexandria. He approached a flight attendant and showed off the belt, attached to a remote control he held in his hand, investigating officer Andreas Lambrianou told the court.

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