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Hijacker of EgyptAir plane had not seen his family for 24-yrs

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Hijacker of EgyptAir plane had not seen his family for 24-yrs
59-year-old Seif el-Din Mustafa, hijacker of the EgyptAir plane said he decided to hold passengers aboard the flight to hostage because he wanted to see his ex-wife and kids in Cyprus after they separated 24 years ago.
The Egyptian national caused a stir aboard the MS181 flight on Tuesday when he scared passengers aboard the plane with a belt stuffed with plastic wires and a remote control.
But the prankster surrendered after a five-hour standoff which saw him force the plane with 81 passengers on board to be diverted to the Larnaca airport in Cyprus in a bid to re-unite with his estranged wife and kids.

Read also: Fake suicide belt used in EgyptAir hijack authorities say

The hijacker who gave himself up to security operatives at the airport after engaging a negotiator was paraded at a Larnaca court on Wednesday where it was ruled that he 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.

“When someone hasn’t seen his family for 24 years and wants to see his wife and children, and the Egyptian government does not allow it, what should one do?” the hijacker told Cypriot police in a statement.
At Larnaca airport, Mustafa dropped an envelope on the runway addressed to a Cypriot woman, later ascertained to be his ex-wife.

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.

The suspect allegedly commandeered the aircraft 15 minutes after take-off 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.

 “The suspect asked all passengers and crew to hand in their passports, then gave two messages to a member of the crew, asking that the pilot be informed that he was a hijacker and wanted to land at an airport in Turkey, Greece or Cyprus, but preferably Cyprus,” Lambrianou said.

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