Turkish Minister Says One Hijacker Turkish, Another Holds Syrian Passport

Text of report in English by Turkish news agency Anatolia

Ankara, 18 August: “One of the hijackers, who hijacked the AtlasJet passenger plane with its 136 passengers and six crew members during a flight from Nicosia to Istanbul, was Turkish and the other was believed to be a Palestinian carrying a Syrian passport,” Turkish Interior Minister Osman Gunes said on Saturday [18 August].

Holding a news conference after the hijackers surrendered to security forces, Gunes said, “One of the hijackers is Turkish. He was identified as Mehmet Resat Ozlu. And the other, Mu’min Abd-al- Aziz Talikh, carries a Syrian passport. We think that he is Palestinian.”

“Security forces are working to determine their connections and motive,” he said.

Gunes added that interrogation of the hijackers is under way at the Antalya Security Department.

Meanwhile, Antalya Governor Alaaddin Yuksel said that a person, who allegedly has connections with the hijackers, was detained.

“The hijackers said that they are members of Al-Qa’idah. A full investigation is under way,” he said.

Yuksel noted that eight passengers were admitted to hospitals for medical treatment, adding that one of them, whose hipbone was broken, underwent surgery.

Originally published by Anatolia news agency, Ankara, in English 0856 18 Aug 07.

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