Saudi gunman foiled in attempt to hijack plane

GUARDS foiled an attempt by a Saudi gunman yesterday to hijack a Saudi Arabian Airlines flight heading from Sudan to Jeddah with 204 passengers and crew on board, Saudi and Sudanese officials said.

Saudi Arabian Airlines said in a statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency that none of the passengers or crew were injured as guards disarmed and arrested the gunman. Sudan’s Interior Ministry said the hijacker was slightly injured.

The ministry said investigations were underway to determine how the man, who it said was about 35 years old, managed to board the plane armed with a pistol.

“If we find negligence on the side of any person or institution, measures will be taken,” Sudanese Interior Ministry spokesman Sayed al-Husseiny told radio Omdurman.

The incident came just over a month after the first anniversary of the September 11 attacks by suicide hijackers against the US. Most of the suicide hijackers were Saudis. Saudi-born Osama bin Laden, the alleged mastermind of the September 11 operations, lived in Sudan from 1991 to 1996 before he was expelled.”

The airline statement said the aircraft returned to Khartoum international airport and landed safely.

Mr Husseiny said the plane was preparing to resume its journey.

The Sudanese Interior Ministry said in a statement that the authorities were interrogating the hijacker.

The airline said the gunman had tried to take control of Flight 450 from Khartoum to the Saudi city of Jeddah 22 minutes after it took off with 185 passengers and 19 crew on board.

The Saudi statement gave no motive for the hijack attempt. It said the plane would leave for Saudi Arabia as soon as Sudanese authorities gave permission.

The Sudanese statement said the plane had been about 700 km from Khartoum when the hijack attempt took place. “The plane was inspected for explosives. None were found and the security authority began investigations with the hijacker,” it said.