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Kazakh Diplomat Arrested After Failed Attempt to Hijack Plane to Tripoli

26 April 2011 00:17 (UTC +04:00)

Baku â€“ APA. A member of the Kazakh delegation to UNESCO has been arrested by Italian authorities for trying to hijack an Alitalia flight from Paris to Rome to the Libyan capital of Tripoli, APA reports quoting â€œThe Voice of Americaâ€.

Valery Tolmachev took a flight attendant hostage Sunday night and held a sharp object to her neck as he attempted to divert the plane. But he was overpowered by other crew members and passengers and eventually sedated by a doctor on board. His motive is unknown at this time and he has been accused of attempting to hijack a plane and taking a hostage.

Police say the 48-year-old Tolmachev had no previous criminal record and no known links to terrorism. But he apparently suffers from depression.

The plane landed safely in Rome where Tolmachev was taken into custody. The flight attendant suffered minor injuries.