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Nine Afghan hijackers jailed

A nine-member gang of Afghan hijackers who seized a passenger jet to escape the ruling Taliban militia before landing at Stansted airport, about 40 km from London two years ago, were on Saturday sentenced to imprisonment.

The plane was on an internal flight in Afghanistan when it was hijacked.

Two of the hijackers, Ali Safi, 38, and his brother Muhammad, 33, seen as the leaders of the armed group, were each sentenced to five years in prison by the Old Bailey on Friday.

The two brothers were found guilty of hijacking, two counts of false imprisonment, possession of firearms and possession of explosives.

Six of their followers were jailed for 30 months and a seventh, Reshed Ahmodi, for 27 months because he was aged only 18 at the time.

Judge Sir Edwin Jowitt said he accepted that the group, members of the Young Intellectuals of Afghanistan, had been fleeing the Taliban regime, but their escape had turned into a criminal act after the pilot of the Ariana 727 plane was forced to fly to Britain after landing in Moscow.

The defendants said they would appeal against their convictions.

It was the men's second trial: the first jury could not agree on a verdict. The cost to the taxpayer for bringing them to justice, including the initial police operation, is estimated to be up to 22 million pound.

In February 2000, the gang threatened to murder 156 passengers, including 21 children, and blow up a Boeing 727 they had hijacked at Stansted if they were refused entry.

PTI

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