An Israeli Arab student accused of trying to hijack an El Al flight today denied planning to seize control of the plane and crash it into a Tel Aviv skyscraper.

A MAN accused of attempting to hijack an Israeli plane from Tel Aviv to Istanbul dreamed of carrying out a September 11-style attack, a Turkish police officer said yesterday.

A man who tried to storm the cockpit during an Israeli airline flight to Istanbul told interrogators today that he attempted to “create fear” aboard the plane in protest at the treatment of Palestinians.

Turkey’s NTV television said 23-year-old Israeli Arab, Tawfiq Fukra had told interrogators today that he wanted to divert a plane to Tel Aviv and crash it into a building in a September 11 style attack.

Security guards on Israel’s national airline El Al overpowered a suspected hijacker who tried to storm into the cockpit of a Tel Aviv to Istanbul flight, apparently armed with a pocket knife, passengers said.