THE FOREIGN ministry yesterday remained hopeful that four Cypriots who were arrested in Qatar on Friday would soon be returning home.
The four were arrested after misbehaving on board an Etihad Airways flight from Thailand to Larnaca, via Abu Dhabi. One claimed to be carrying a bomb, and the flight was diverted to Qatar.
Director of the Ministry’s Schengen area crisis management division, Alexandros Zenonos, said yesterday: “Everything is possible but we are negotiating with the authorities and expect a good outcome.”
Asked when they may return home, Zenonos said: “We are trying to help them and I hope they will be released tomorrow, but it is not an easy situation.”
He added: “It was a very stupid joke (to claim to be carrying a bomb) possibly the Qatar authorities understand this.”
Unfortunately for the youths there is a precedent for such cases. In April, 38-year-old Briton James Glen was jailed for three years after admitting a hoax that triggered a bomb scare on another Etihad Airways flight from Abu Dhabi to Heathrow.
Glen told a flight attendant that a passenger had a gun and had threatened to blow himself up. The plane was redirected to Stansted Airport under the escort of Royal Air Force fighter jets.
Nor are the Qatar authorities likely to be more lenient if it transpires that the youths were under the influence of alcohol.
Glen, who had a history of depression, had consumed alcohol and an anti-histamine drug on the day.
Although Cyprus has “an excellent relationship” they are limited in what they can do: “It is standard practice for the embassy to tackle these situations informally, if possible, by approaching the relevant authorities” a Foreign Ministry source said on Saturday.
“But we cannot interfere with the law and can only offer assistance, legal or otherwise.” The source said.
The incident has sparked outrage among several members of the public who variously called for the toughest punishments on the Cyprus Mail website.
“Let them take the consequences of their foolishness and put them in a Qatar prison,” said one commenter, while another called for lifetime bans on flying: “They should also be banned for Life from any Flight, or even fishing boats.”
Only a small minority were willing to concede the incident was the result of childish exuberance: “Yes they were idiots” said one, “but the responses here are way out of proportion.”
Following the incident the remaining passengers were put on another aircraft back to Abu Dhabi. From there the plane took off again for Larnaca where it landed at 6.30pm, six hours later than scheduled.
Source: Cyprus Mail
