UPDATE: Apparently, I got this story wrong. I am sorry. Apparently, there was only one man involved in the highjacking, a former Muslim who had converted to Christianity, and was, in some form, possibly appealing to the Pope to help him receive asylum, so he could avoid service in a "Muslim army."
I will do a correction post, and you will see it above this article.
The Associated Press story doesn't once mention Islam, or Muslims, or anything of the like. The hijacking was committed by "Turks" in protest against the Pope, for no specific reason:
ROME - A Turkish Airlines plane carrying more than 100 passengers from Tirana, Albania, to Istanbul, was hijacked Tuesday to protest the pope's upcoming visit to Turkey and landed at Italy's Brindisi airport, Turkish and Italian officials said.
The plane was hijacked in Greek airspace, company spokesman Ali Genc said.
Turkish television channel NTV, quoting unnamed security officials, reported that the plane was hijacked by two Turks to protest Pope Benedict XVI's planned visit to Turkey next month.
A spokesman for the Greek military's general staff told The Associated Press that four Greek fighter jets had been scrambled to shadow the plane after it issued a distress signal over Greek airspace.
The plane contacted Italian air traffic controllers about 5:25 p.m. and asked to land in Brindisi, according to Nicoletta Tomiselli, a spokeswoman for the Italian air traffic agency ENAV.
She said the aircraft, carrying 113 people, was escorted to the ground by two Italian military planes.
"We don't know what the situation is yet," she said.
Genc, the Turkish Airlines' spokesman, said there were 107 on board. There was no immediate explanation for the discrepancy.
The Vatican has been going ahead with plans for the trip and a Vatican official, asked about the hijacking, said he expected no changes in the pope's plans for the visit. The official, who asked that his name not be used because of the sensitivity of the issue, said an official Vatican announcement that the trip would take place Nov. 28-Dec. 1 would be made soon.
10 comments:
Silly me. I hadn't thought of that possibility.
It could have just been "youths" who are angered by the unemployment brought about by high population, which the Pope advocates with his opposition to birth control and abortion.
How dare you! These are innocent muslim youth, who are just demonstrating their outmost frustration over the abusing of their prophet. can't we just forgive them? can't we just all live in peace? (just kidding...) What's funny about this story is that now news agencies are reporting that the hijackers are asking for the political asylum in Italy. I mean...how surreal can it ever get?
VadimM,
Are you kidding me? So, they've gone from objuscating to plain outright lying?
Jeez, man. Give me something to break.
Pastorius,
This what CNN, SKY and FOX just reported. These guys are asking for asylum. Can it be more absurd?
Another update, now the news outlets are actually reporting that the sole purpose of this hijacking was to request a political asylum in Italy. Check the report on CNN's website
http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/europe/10/03/turkey.hijack/index.html
Apparently these guys aren't even muslims
If everyone is reporting that, then that means those guys really are asking for asylum. They should give them asylum in prison for the rest of their lives.
(Reuters) "They have surrendered and are about to get off the plane," Brindisi Police Chief Salvatore De Paolis told Reuters. "They will request political asylum." The Italian news agency ANSA said later that both hijackers had been detained by police.
Vadim,
I smell something fishy.
Pastorius,
There is a confusion over this thing all over. Different news agencies give different reports on what was the motive behind the hijacking. I think in another hour or two it will become clearer
Battleax,
I agree. See my comment above.
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