EgyptAir hijacker was reportedly targeting 'foreigners'
The Egyptian man who hijacked an EgyptAir flight on Tuesday reportedly targeted "foreigners," according to the flight crew and other passengers on the flight.
Seif Eddin Mustafa, 59, is facing charges including hijacking, illegal possession of explosives, kidnapping and threats to commit violence for the incident.
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Speaking at a press conference in Cairo on Wednesday, the flight's pilot, Amr al-Gammal, detailed how Mustafa allowed him to release all Egyptians from the flight: "He gave me more than what I requested. I asked to let the children and the women out. He said he will let all Egyptians out."
Amr al-Gammal also revealed that Mustafa had let him decide the final destination for the plane, a choice between Cyprus, Greece or Turkey. The pilot chose Cyprus because of its proximity.
Rouida Ihab, an EgyptAir stewardess on the flight, told the Associated Press Mustafa checked passengers' passports to find out who was not an Arab, adding he, "wanted the foreigners ... only foreigners. He didn't want Egyptians or double nationalities."
Andrea Banchetti, an Italian passenger, told Italian media that after the hijacked plane landed in Cyprus, the non-Western passengers got their passports back and were allowed off the plane. Five foreign passengers were ordered to stay: himself, two Scotsmen, an Englishman and a Dutchman.
At that point, he said: "We looked each other in the eyes and we said, 'Here we are. We're at the end of the line. It's over.'"
Huub Helthuis, the Dutch passenger, told the AP that Mustafa spoke little English, but told him: "Don't worry. Nothing will happen."
Eventually, all remaining passengers were released and Mustafa was arrested.
One of the other remaining passengers was Ben Innes, who gained a bit of fame (or infamy, depending on your point of view), for the photo he had taken with Mustafa.
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Additional reporting by the Associated Press.
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Marcus Gilmer is Mashable's Assistant Real-Times News Editor on the West Coast, reporting on breaking news from his location in San Francisco. An Alabama native, Marcus earned his BA from Birmingham-Southern College and his MFA in Communications from the University of New Orleans. Marcus has previously worked for Chicagoist, The A.V. Club, the Chicago Sun-Times and the San Francisco Chronicle.
