A threat by two Libyans to blow up a Royal Jordanian aircraft carrying 173 passengers was "a joke" which got out of hand, a police chief said Tuesday.
Questioning of the plane's captain, the cabin crewmembers, security men and the two Libyans revealed that the incident began as a joke," said Abu Dhabi police chief Brigadier Mohammad Khamis Al Junaibi.
In the midst of a dispute over in-flight food on Sunday, one of the two Libyans told a steward, "If I had a bomb I would blow up the plane so all of us die," the police statement said, cited by AFP.
Subsequently, Jordanian security men aboard flight RJ602 from Amman to Dubai, via Abu Dhabi, arrested the man. A second Libyan then protested and he too was arrested.
Junaibi said the first Libyan did not realize the gravity of what he said.
Following an emergency landing at Abu Dhabi international airport, the airplane was searched thoroughly and no bomb was found. (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
