The man behind the failed hijacking of an Algerian airliner asked to be flown to North Korea, the head of Algeria's national security agency said Monday.
Ali Tounsi, head of the DGSN security services, said Farouk Bouleoudina, aged 37, was under the influence of anti-psychotic drugs when he tried to hijack an internal flight on Sunday from the eastern city of Constantine to Algiers, according to AFP.
Bouleoudina burst into the cockpit and demanded that the Boeing 737-800 change course for North Korea, claiming falsely that two accomplices had brought a bomb aboard the plane.
The flight captain told Bouleoudina the plane had insufficient fuel to reach North Korea, and maintained his course for Algiers.
Bouleoudina was subsequently arrested at Algiers airport and found to be unarmed. Two others who were arrested after Bouleoudina claimed they were his accomplices were later eliminated from the inquiry and released from police custody. (Albawaba.com)
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