Sunday Territorian (Australia)
March 20, 2005 Sunday

Moscow hijack puzzle

By GEMMA JONES

A SYDNEY man has been arrested in Russia after allegedly threatening
to blow up a plane flying from Tokyo to Moscow.

Simon Papikian, 28, from Bossley Park, was charged last night by
Russian authorities with making a hoax bomb threat and making false
claims about a terrorist act.

He is alleged to have attempted to get into the cockpit of an
Aeroflot Boeing 777 as it landed at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport but
the crew were able to restrain him.

Police were waiting at the airport and arrested him before
questioning him at a nearby police station.

Initial reports suggested Mr Papikian may have demanded the crew fly
the plane to the breakaway Russian region of Chechnya.

His family were puzzled by reports he may have wanted the plane
directed to the Muslim region because they say he is a committed
Christian.

His mother Armen said last night that the electrical engineer, who
graduated from the University of Technology six months ago, was en
route to Yerevan in Armenia to visit a sick cousin.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress