Israeli Arab tries to hijack El Al flight to Istanbul

Ha'aretz Daily ^

[RCW2001]

Israeli Arab tries to hijack El Al flight to Istanbul

By Amos Harel, Aluf Benn and Zohar Blumenkrantz, Ha'aretz Correspondents and Agencies

A suspected hijack attempt aboard an El AL flight to Istanbul was foiled Sunday night after an Israeli Arab passenger tried to rush the cockpit of flight 581 from Ben Gurion Airport to Istanbul, an El Al spokesman said.

The plane took of from Israel at 8:15 P.M. local time, and eventually landed in Istanbul at 10:00 P.M. The incident took place approximately 15 minutes prior to the intended landing.

The plane's security guards and other passengers aboard the plane overcame the man who was armed with a pocketknife after he tried to stab a stewardess. However, the circumstances of the incident are not yet fully clear. The man was seized and handcuffed. The plane, with its 170 passengers, landed safely in Istanbul.

"We heard people saying there was fighting and half a minute later it became clear that from row five or six a man ran amok towards the pilot's cabin, attacked a stewardess and tried to enter the cockpit," an Israeli passenger on the plane told Israel army radio.

"We saw a stewardess running like crazy from the front of the place to the business section...she was terrified," said the passenger, identified as Menachem. Security guards "threw him to the floor with his legs spread and his face to the floor. The passengers were hysterical but the flight attendants were very cool, they calmed us down", he said.

Director-General of the Israel Airports Authority, Gabi Ophir, has launched an investigation into the incident in order to determine how the man managed to smuggle a pocketknife past the ground security guards. Amos Shapira, Director-General of El-Al, personally congratulated the security guards on board who prevented the attack.

The return flight from Istanbul, scheduled to leave at 11:30 P.M., is currently delayed, but no other disruptions are reported at the airport.

An Istanbul airport official said one "terrorist" was being held in custody, following which he will be handed over to Israeli security

[EggsAckley]

Pardon my ignorance, but just what IS an "Israeli Arab?"

[toddst]

El-Al is the wrong airline to pick if hijacking is the intent. However, there will be a review of screening that allowed a knife through. Glad everyone is OK (other than the hijacker.)

[BrooklynGOP]

An arab who is a citizen of Israel.

[hole_n_one]

[July 4th]

BBC Report:

Israeli security guards have foiled an alleged hijack attempt on an Israeli airlines flight bound for Istanbul.

El Al flight 581 from Tel Aviv landed safely at its destination at 1930 GMT with 170 passengers on board, all unharmed.

The hijacker, who is believed to be an Israeli Arab, is reported to have tried to break into the cockpit and stab a stewardess 10 minutes before the flight was due to land.

He was restrained by flight marshals.

He is thought to have been acting alone and carrying just a pocket knife.

A Turkish airport official said the man was now being held in custody at the airport police station.

Tight security

No organisation has claimed responsibility for the incident.

El Al has tightest security of any airline in the world.

It is renowned for its strict procedures, having undercover agents on every plane and armed guards at every ticket counter.

The only successful hijacking of an El Al plane was in 1968 when a flight from Rome was hijacked by members of the militant Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and forced to land in Algiers.

[July 4th]

Thanks for moving this to Breaking.

[Abar]

G-d Bless Israel.

G-d Bless El-al.

When the Israelis are through with him, he'll be subject to Turkish Interrogation.

[EggsAckley]

Thanks. For some reason, I just can't fathom an Arab being a citizen of Israel, unless he's NOT a Muslim. Still kind of confusing.

[Cinnamon Girl]

What can't you fathom? Of course there are Arab Muslim Israelis.

[ChadGore]

ROPMA

[Alouette]

what IS an "Israeli Arab?"

An "Israeli Arab" is an Arab person who holds Israeli citizenship. You know, just the same as Jews who hold citizenship in the Palestinian Authority are known as "Palestinian Jews."

Why are you looking at me funny? Did I say something wrong?

[PoorRider]

God bless vigilant passengers, vigilant flight attendants.

[another cricket]

There are Arab Israeli Muslims in the IDF. They are full citizens with full rights and responsibilities. One of them just got killed in the line of duty a few days ago.

a.cricket

[yonif]

It is unclear if it was a knife that he brought aboard or if it was a knife from dinner. I believe it was the latter.
This incident shows the greatness of Israeli counter-terrorism security aboard airplanes which all airline carriers should follow, however, many refuse to accept.

[yonif]

And most importantly the security undercover agents.

[Semper911]

I am very surprised to hear that the perp is still among the living. I would have guessed that the El Al air marshalls would have just given him 2 in the hat, and been done with it.

I betcha the guy will wish that had happened, now that he has a date with Israeli and Turkish interrogators.

[livius]

You don't have to be a Jew to be a citizen. But one of the many sad results of all of the horrible things that have happened (such as Palestinians who work in Israel deciding to do a homicide bombing of the university cafeteria where they work...) is that Israelis are going to find it harder and harder to accept non-Jews as citizens.

Actually, I think non-Islamic countries in general are going to find it harder and harder - and more and more dangerous - to accept Muslims as citizens.

The Muslim agenda appears to be at odds with that of the rest of the world.

[July 4th]

Several years ago (and hardly at all since Sept. 11), it was possible to buy somewhat-sharp nylon knives over the internet. They're actually quite strong, and won't get picked up by metal detectors.

[Recovering_Democrat]

If no one has explained yet, let me give my understanding.

The people of Israel are of many different ethnic groups. Jewish-Americans, Egyptians, Arabs, "Palestinians", Russian Jews, et al. As a matter of fact, since Israel is a democracy, each particular ethnic/interest group is one that is courted by those who want to be Prime Minister.

Israel and her Arab voting bloc are proof that a "one man one vote" system can work in the Middle East.