Sudanese hijackers have no connection with Darfur rebels – Sun Air

August 27, 2008 (TRIPOLI) — The hijackers of the Sudanese plane have no connection with a Darfur rebel movement as it was said yesterday, said the director of the company operating the hijacked Boeing.

Sun Air Executive Director Murtada Hassan said hijackers motives were personal and they had no connection with any political or rebel groups. Due to security reasons, he said he could not reveal what the personal matters were.

Hassan made this statement after the surrender of the two hijackers today.

Yesterday, Libyan officials at the airport in Kufra said the hijackers were belonging to the Sudan Liberation Movement led by Abdel-Wahid Al-Nur.

Al-Nur, who lives in France since two years, dismissed hijackers’ claims that they were members in his movement. He also accused Khartoum of organising this operation to divert the attention from killing and atrocities committed by the government troops in Kalma camps the day before the hijacking.

Observers contacted by Sudan Tribune agree that operation started and ended with an exceptional easiness. They also raised questions about their claim of belonging to a rebel movement while they made no political demand.

During the negotiations with the Libyan authorities the hijacker only demanded to provide them maps and fuel in order to fly to France. Then they tried to negotiate political asylum in Libya.

The plane was hijacked on Tuesday shortly after take-off from the capital of South Darfur state, Nyala on a flight to the national capital Khartoum.

(ST)