October 18, 2002	Friday	Sha'aban 11, 1423

RIYADH, Oct 17: Sudan has agreed to extradite Adel Nasir Ahmed Faraj, the Saudi who tried to hijack the Saudi Arabian Airliner on way to Jeddah from Khartoum.

“I have contacted the Sudanese interior minister who has agreed to hand over the hijacker (to Saudi authorities),” Saudi Interior Minister Prince Naif told newsmen on Thursday.

The Sudanese authorities said that the hijacker was a “mentally unstable” person and had no political motive behind the attempt to hijack the aeroplane.

“It transpired from the investigation that there was no political motive behind the hijacking attempt and that Faraj was not a member of any political or Islamic organization,” Sudanese spokesman Maj. Gen. Hussein Osman told the press.

Three Sudanese nationals have also been arrested in connection with the case. They include a merchant in an Omdurman market, who sold the pistol used in the attempt and a Khartoum airport employee, who allegedly helped Faraj to evade security at the Khartoum airport and smuggle the pistol onto the aircraft.