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| Egyptian plane hijack suspect ordered held in Cyprus | Egyptian plane hijack suspect ordered held in Cyprus |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A suspected hijacker who used a fake explosive belt to commandeer an Egyptian airliner flashed a victory sign Wednesday after a court in Cyprus ordered him held before possible terror-linked charges from an apparent desperate bid to see his estranged family. | A suspected hijacker who used a fake explosive belt to commandeer an Egyptian airliner flashed a victory sign Wednesday after a court in Cyprus ordered him held before possible terror-linked charges from an apparent desperate bid to see his estranged family. |
| Tuesday’s diversion an EygptAir plane ended after a nearly six-hour standoff at Cyprus’s main airport in Larnaca and included several bizarre moments, such as one British hostage posing with a massive grin for a photo alongside the 59-year-old hijacker. | Tuesday’s diversion an EygptAir plane ended after a nearly six-hour standoff at Cyprus’s main airport in Larnaca and included several bizarre moments, such as one British hostage posing with a massive grin for a photo alongside the 59-year-old hijacker. |
| [This isn’t the first time someone tried to hijack a plane out of love] | [This isn’t the first time someone tried to hijack a plane out of love] |
| In a statement to Cypriot police, the suspect — identified as Seif Eldin Mustafa — described the hijacking as an attempt to make contact with his estranged wife and children, who live on the eastern Mediterranean island. | In a statement to Cypriot police, the suspect — identified as Seif Eldin Mustafa — described the hijacking as an attempt to make contact with his estranged wife and children, who live on the eastern Mediterranean island. |
| “When someone hasn’t seen his family for 24 years . . . what should one do?” said Mustafa’s statement, according to the Reuters news agency. | “When someone hasn’t seen his family for 24 years . . . what should one do?” said Mustafa’s statement, according to the Reuters news agency. |
| A court in Larnaca ordered him held for eight days while prosecutors study possible charges that include threatening terrorist violence. As he left the courthouse, a handcuffed Mustafa made the V-for-victory sign. | A court in Larnaca ordered him held for eight days while prosecutors study possible charges that include threatening terrorist violence. As he left the courthouse, a handcuffed Mustafa made the V-for-victory sign. |
| Egypt, meanwhile, wants him back for possible prosecution. The country’s main prosecutor asked Cyprus to extradite Mustafa, Egyptian state TV reported. | |
| Mustafa calmly walked off the plane and surrendered Tuesday after holding a handful of passengers and crew on board. The rest of the 72 people on board had been freed shortly after the plane landed in Cyprus. | Mustafa calmly walked off the plane and surrendered Tuesday after holding a handful of passengers and crew on board. The rest of the 72 people on board had been freed shortly after the plane landed in Cyprus. |
| [Hijacking renews concerns over Egyptian airport safety] | [Hijacking renews concerns over Egyptian airport safety] |
| Authorities say Mustafa demanded the domestic Alexandria-to-Cairo flight be diverted to Cyprus, threatening to carry a belt with explosives. Police later said the device was fake, apparently fashioned from mobile phone covers and wires. | Authorities say Mustafa demanded the domestic Alexandria-to-Cairo flight be diverted to Cyprus, threatening to carry a belt with explosives. Police later said the device was fake, apparently fashioned from mobile phone covers and wires. |
| On Tuesday, a Cypriot Foreign Ministry official, Alexandros Zenon, described Mustafa’s mental state as “unstable.” | |
| In Britain, meanwhile, attention shifted to a passenger on the flight, Ben Innes, who posted a smiling “selfie” alongside the hijacker, whose claimed bomb belt is visible. | In Britain, meanwhile, attention shifted to a passenger on the flight, Ben Innes, who posted a smiling “selfie” alongside the hijacker, whose claimed bomb belt is visible. |
| “I figured if his bomb was real I’d nothing lose anyway,” Innes was quoted by The Sun newspaper in Britain, “so I took a chance to get a closer look at it.” | “I figured if his bomb was real I’d nothing lose anyway,” Innes was quoted by The Sun newspaper in Britain, “so I took a chance to get a closer look at it.” |
| Innes, a health and safety inspector from Leeds, said he asked the hijacker if he could take a photo. | Innes, a health and safety inspector from Leeds, said he asked the hijacker if he could take a photo. |
| “He just shrugged okay,” Innes told the newspaper,”so I stood by him and smiled for the camera while a stewardess did the snap. It has to be the best selfie ever.” | “He just shrugged okay,” Innes told the newspaper,”so I stood by him and smiled for the camera while a stewardess did the snap. It has to be the best selfie ever.” |
| Read more: | Read more: |
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| A terror attack exposed Belgium’s security failings. Europe’s problem is far bigger. | A terror attack exposed Belgium’s security failings. Europe’s problem is far bigger. |
| Today's coverage from Post correspondents around the world | Today's coverage from Post correspondents around the world |