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| EgyptAir Hijacking Suspect Says He Acted Out of Desperation | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| LARNACA, Cyprus — Seif Eldin Mustafa, the Egyptian man who grabbed the world’s attention by hijacking an EgyptAir flight and diverting it to Cyprus, has admitted his crimes to Cypriot investigators but insisted that he acted out of desperation, prosecutors said on Wednesday during his first court appearance. | LARNACA, Cyprus — Seif Eldin Mustafa, the Egyptian man who grabbed the world’s attention by hijacking an EgyptAir flight and diverting it to Cyprus, has admitted his crimes to Cypriot investigators but insisted that he acted out of desperation, prosecutors said on Wednesday during his first court appearance. |
| Mr. Mustafa, 59, boarded EgyptAir Flight 181 on Tuesday morning, wore a fake explosives belt and demanded that the pilot take him to Cyprus, Turkey or Greece, prosecutors said. When the plane landed in Larnaca, on the southern coast of Cyprus, Mr. Mustafa made various demands, including that a letter be delivered to his former wife, a Cypriot citizen, they said. | Mr. Mustafa, 59, boarded EgyptAir Flight 181 on Tuesday morning, wore a fake explosives belt and demanded that the pilot take him to Cyprus, Turkey or Greece, prosecutors said. When the plane landed in Larnaca, on the southern coast of Cyprus, Mr. Mustafa made various demands, including that a letter be delivered to his former wife, a Cypriot citizen, they said. |
| “When someone hasn’t seen his family for 24 years and wants to see his wife and children, and the Egyptian government won’t let him, what is he supposed to do?” Mr. Mustafa told the authorities, according to a statement by prosecutors. | “When someone hasn’t seen his family for 24 years and wants to see his wife and children, and the Egyptian government won’t let him, what is he supposed to do?” Mr. Mustafa told the authorities, according to a statement by prosecutors. |
| Prosecutors requested that Mr. Mustafa remain in detention, arguing that if freed he might try to influence the testimony of his passengers and relatives or might try to flee. The judge, Maria K. Loizou of Larnaca District Court, ordered that Mr. Mustafa remain in custody for eight more days. | Prosecutors requested that Mr. Mustafa remain in detention, arguing that if freed he might try to influence the testimony of his passengers and relatives or might try to flee. The judge, Maria K. Loizou of Larnaca District Court, ordered that Mr. Mustafa remain in custody for eight more days. |
| The Egyptian authorities have formally requested the extradition of Mr. Mustafa, the country’s chief prosecutor said on Wednesday. | The Egyptian authorities have formally requested the extradition of Mr. Mustafa, the country’s chief prosecutor said on Wednesday. |
| The hijacking on Tuesday morning raised the specter of international terrorism and seemed to be another devastating blow for Egypt, which has been criticized for lax security at its airports. The mood turned to relief as Mr. Mustafa released most of the hostages, and the episode eventually gave way to dark humor, as officials characterized Mr. Mustafa as a lovelorn, if disturbed, man who insisted on seeing his former wife. A photograph showing him standing next to a grinning passenger spread rapidly on social media, contributing to the sense of levity. | The hijacking on Tuesday morning raised the specter of international terrorism and seemed to be another devastating blow for Egypt, which has been criticized for lax security at its airports. The mood turned to relief as Mr. Mustafa released most of the hostages, and the episode eventually gave way to dark humor, as officials characterized Mr. Mustafa as a lovelorn, if disturbed, man who insisted on seeing his former wife. A photograph showing him standing next to a grinning passenger spread rapidly on social media, contributing to the sense of levity. |
| But as he appeared in court on Wednesday, wearing a black jacket and looking confused and exhausted, with his hair matted and his hands shaking, nothing about the episode seemed funny to Mr. Mustafa or to the spectators. The charges prosecutors read out — including piracy and violations of counterterrorism law — carry life sentences. | But as he appeared in court on Wednesday, wearing a black jacket and looking confused and exhausted, with his hair matted and his hands shaking, nothing about the episode seemed funny to Mr. Mustafa or to the spectators. The charges prosecutors read out — including piracy and violations of counterterrorism law — carry life sentences. |
| Mr. Mustafa spoke only twice during the court appearance, through an Arabic-language interpreter, saying that he had no objection to the detention order and no questions about the legal proceedings. After the court adjourned, he mumbled something about a telephone: A court official later said he had asked again to call his former wife. | Mr. Mustafa spoke only twice during the court appearance, through an Arabic-language interpreter, saying that he had no objection to the detention order and no questions about the legal proceedings. After the court adjourned, he mumbled something about a telephone: A court official later said he had asked again to call his former wife. |
| “She doesn’t want to talk him,” the court official said. | “She doesn’t want to talk him,” the court official said. |
| A woman who answered the door at the home of Mr. Mustafa’s former wife said that she did not want to comment on the allegations and directed inquiries to Mr. Mustafa. Cypriot news media reported that the couple had five children, including a daughter who died in a car crash, and that Mr. Mustafa lived in Cyprus until 1994. | A woman who answered the door at the home of Mr. Mustafa’s former wife said that she did not want to comment on the allegations and directed inquiries to Mr. Mustafa. Cypriot news media reported that the couple had five children, including a daughter who died in a car crash, and that Mr. Mustafa lived in Cyprus until 1994. |
| According to Egyptian security officials, Mr. Mustafa escaped from prison, where he was serving time on charges of forgery and fraud, during the 2011 uprising that overthrew President Hosni Mubarak. A neighbor said that he had heard Mr. Mustafa, a fugitive, complain of being trapped in Egypt, where he lived in an impoverished neighborhood with his widowed sister and a brother with mental disabilities. | According to Egyptian security officials, Mr. Mustafa escaped from prison, where he was serving time on charges of forgery and fraud, during the 2011 uprising that overthrew President Hosni Mubarak. A neighbor said that he had heard Mr. Mustafa, a fugitive, complain of being trapped in Egypt, where he lived in an impoverished neighborhood with his widowed sister and a brother with mental disabilities. |
| In their request for his detention, Cypriot prosecutors said that Mr. Mustafa stood up from his seat about 15 minutes after the flight left Alexandria, bound for Cairo, and showed a white belt to members of the crew, with cables that led to what he called a “remote control.” | In their request for his detention, Cypriot prosecutors said that Mr. Mustafa stood up from his seat about 15 minutes after the flight left Alexandria, bound for Cairo, and showed a white belt to members of the crew, with cables that led to what he called a “remote control.” |
| He gave notes to the crew members to deliver to the pilots, demanding that the plane be rerouted and saying that if it landed anywhere in Egypt, “he would immediately blow up the plane.” He also demanded the release of 63 “dissident” women imprisoned in Egyptian jails. | He gave notes to the crew members to deliver to the pilots, demanding that the plane be rerouted and saying that if it landed anywhere in Egypt, “he would immediately blow up the plane.” He also demanded the release of 63 “dissident” women imprisoned in Egyptian jails. |
| Most of the passengers returned to Egypt on Tuesday night on a plane sent by the Egyptian government, but some remained in Cyprus for onward travel as their final destination was not Cairo. | Most of the passengers returned to Egypt on Tuesday night on a plane sent by the Egyptian government, but some remained in Cyprus for onward travel as their final destination was not Cairo. |