This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/americas/8247472.stm
The article has changed 10 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 7 | Version 8 |
---|---|
Mexican police end hijack drama | Mexican police end hijack drama |
(about 4 hours later) | |
Mexican police have freed more than 100 passengers unharmed after a jet flying from Cancun to Mexico City was hijacked by a religious fanatic. | |
Jose Flores Pereira, a 40-year-old Bolivian, threatened to blow up the Aeromexico plane unless allowed to speak to President Felipe Calderon. | |
He said that he used a can of juice as a fake bomb. | |
Five other people were also detained, but police later said that there had only been one hijacker. | |
Transport Minister Juan Molinar said there had been no bombs on board. | |
"The passengers are safe. There was no bomb," he said. | "The passengers are safe. There was no bomb," he said. |
"Various people who participated in the act have been detained and we are investigating," he said. | "Various people who participated in the act have been detained and we are investigating," he said. |
The passengers included US and French citizens, a US official told AP news agency. | The passengers included US and French citizens, a US official told AP news agency. |
'Divine revelation' | 'Divine revelation' |
Jose Flores Pereira was shown to reporters after he was detained | |
Public Safety Secretary Genaro Garcia Luna said the hijacking had been masterminded by Mr Flores who had "had a revelation that Mexico was facing a great danger, and was threatened by an earthquake". | |
Mr Flores told reporters after his arrest that he had used "a juice can with some little lights I attached" to seize control of the plane as it landed at Mexico City. | |
He told flight attendants that he had three accomplices, "the Father, Son and Holy Ghost". | |
He said that he acted on 9 September 2009, because the numbers 9/9/9 were the inverse of 6/6/6, the number linked to the Anti-Christ. | |
"Christ is coming soon," Mr Flores told journalists. | |
Mr Garcia said that Mr Flores was a former drug addict, with a conviction for armed robbery in his native Bolivia. He has lived in Mexico for 17 years. | |
Mr Flores said he had gone to Cancun to preach. He is also a singer. | |
"I was a despicable drug addict, but Christ freed me a few years ago," he sings in one video posted on YouTube. | |
'Scary moments' | |
Mexican armed police stormed the plane and made several arrests | Mexican armed police stormed the plane and made several arrests |
An official told the BBC while the hijacking was taking place that Mr Calderon had been on his way to the airport. | |
Mexican media broadcast live images of the drama unfolding as the plane sat at the end of the runway and passengers were seen disembarking and being led away. | Mexican media broadcast live images of the drama unfolding as the plane sat at the end of the runway and passengers were seen disembarking and being led away. |
Some minutes later, at least six handcuffed men were seen being taken from the plane by armed police and driven away. | Some minutes later, at least six handcuffed men were seen being taken from the plane by armed police and driven away. |
Earlier reports, citing police sources, said it was initially believed the hijackers had explosives taped to their bodies. | Earlier reports, citing police sources, said it was initially believed the hijackers had explosives taped to their bodies. |
Passenger Rocio Garcia told the Televisa TV network that the crew announced the plane was being hijacked when it landed in Mexico City. | |
"These were scary moments," she said. | |