Ethiopia says hijacking ‘beggars belief,’ names hijacker, Co-Pilot Hailemedehin Abera Tagegn

February 17, 2014, ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (Rappler) – Ethiopia’s government on Monday named the co-pilot of an Ethiopian Airlines flight who hijacked his aircraft, describing him as “medically sane” and saying the incident “beggars belief”.

Information Minister Redwan Hussein named the hijacker as 31-year-old Hailemedehin Abera Tagegn, and said he had been working with the national carrier for 5 years and had no criminal record.

“So far it is known that he was medically sane, until otherwise is proven through the investigation which is going on right now,” the minister told reporters.

“So the intention, what forced him to hijack his own plane, still beggars belief… any political, social or economic reason would not make sense to hijack your plane and be a criminal,” he said.

“We don’t see any criminal record… and there was no reason for him to be prosecuted so there was no reason for him to flee,” he added.

The minister said the passengers included 139 Italians, 11 Americans, 10 Ethiopians as well as nationals from Nigeria, Romania, France, Ireland, Germany and other countries.

Source: Rappler

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Here is what Redwan Hussein said earlier about the hijack, on Aljazeera

Ethiopian Airlines flight 702 bound for Rome from Addis Ababa was reportedly denied permission to land and circled Geneva for several minutes before it was “forced to proceed” to the airport, which had been temporarily closed by authorities.

An Ethiopian government spokesman, Redwan Hussein, told Reuters that the flight had made a scheduled stop in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, where it was originally thought the hijacker or hijackers may have boarded the flight.

“We don’t know where they are from or how many they are but it looks like the hijacker or hijackers boarded the flight in Khartoum,” Redwan added shortly before police announced they had detained the assailant.

Reports on social media said Ethiopian Airlines flight was flying over Sudan when it issued a distress signal, Squawk 7500, which is code indicating a hijacking.

Source: Aljazeera        source (  http://ayyaantuu.com/horn-of-africa-news/ethiopia-says-hijacking-beggars-belief-names-hijacker-co-pilot-hailemedehin-abera-tagegn/ )