Hijackers were upset over probe into human rights problem

Hijackers were upset over probe into human rights problem
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

DUBAI, OCT 15: The hijack of the Jeddah-London Saudi airline plane ended in Baghdad on Saturday night with all the 103 passengers, including an Indian, and the crew being released unharmed and the two Saudi hijackers surrendering to Iraqi authorities.

The hijackers who commandeered the flight shortly after it left Egyptian airspace first tried to land in Damascus, but then ordered the flight to be taken to Saddam international airport in Baghdad where they surrendered and sought political asylum. An Iraqi Interior Ministry official Taher Haboush said the hijackers had said they seized the plane because they were upset over an investigation into the Saudi human rights situation that was too favourable to the government. Haboush said the hijackers ordered the plane to fly to Baghdad because Iraq rejects "US hegemony."

Iraqi television and airport officials said that the nearly seven-and-a-half-hour crisis ended after high-ranking government officials negotiated with the two hijackers, who then surrendered peacefully.

"We are grateful to the Iraqi government" a Pakistanipassenger told Al Jazeera satellite television as he stepped down from the plane.

The passengers most of whom were British also includedPakistanis and Saudis.

The 103 passengers and crew were expected to leave Iraqtoday, officials said.

Iraqi authorities and criticized their government.

"We carried out the operation because we believe in theprinciples of Justice and equality," one said. The other said the Saudi people were against the presence of U.S. Troops in their territory.

The hijackers, who refused to give their names, said theyhaven'T asked for political asylum, countering an earlier report. They also said they don'T intend to stay in Iraq.

It wasn'T immediately clear if the hijackers were armedor what other means they used to seize control of the aircraft. A hijacker had at one point threatened to blow up the plane unless it was allowed to fly to Baghdad, Saudi officials said on condition of anonymity.

Damascus airport officials speaking on condition ofanonymity had said the plane landed in Damascus, but they later backed off of that statement, saying it was erroneous. The official Syrian Arab News Agency reported that the plane never landed in Damascus, but flew over Syria to Iraq.