Fly the Friendly Skies
A MUSLIM man has been detained after trying to kill an Israeli passenger on an Ethiopian Airlines flight from Chad to Ethiopia.
The victim, named as Arik, 54, works in an Israeli communications company that operates in Africa. He had intended to travel on to Israel after landing in Addis Ababa.
“About 20 minutes before the plane started its descent the passenger sitting behind me identified me as Israeli and Jewish,” Arik told Ynet.
“He came up behind my seat and started to choke me with a lot of force,” he continued, “and at first I couldn’t get my voice out and call for help.
“He hit me over the head with a metal tray and shouted ‘Allah akbar’ (God is greater) and ‘I will slaughter the Jew.’ Only after a few seconds, just before I was about to lose consciousness, did I manage to call out and a flight attendant who saw what was happening summoned her colleagues,” Arik said.
While the crew struggled to control the attacker, Arik says only one other passenger, a Lebanese man, attempted to help to stop the attack.
The good Samaritan and cabin crew were eventually able to restrain the violent passenger and guarded the injured victim near the back of the plane for the remainder of the flight.
The attacker, identified as Sudanese national Ahmed Mohamed, reportedly spent the last moments of the trip attempting to convince his fellow passengers to help lynch the Jewish flyer, repeatedly shouting, “Let’s finish him off.”
Not to be confused with Mohamed Ahmed, the Muslim Brotherhood’s man in Nashville, although he may sympathize with the other Mohamed.
In a statement to the media, Ethiopian Airlines officials said the violent passenger remains in police custody and added, “The attacker, who has been identified as Ahmed Mohamed, showed no signs of violence as he was boarding the flight.”
“He attacked not only the Israeli but also other passengers and members of the flight crew. He is still in detention and is due to appear in court on Wednesday.
“The Israeli passenger was taken to a medical clinic in the airport and released shortly after. He was able to continue on to Tel Aviv as planned. We are sorry for the incident and will do everything we can in order to prevent further such attacks on our Israeli customers.”