The Egyptian who authorities say admitted hijacking a domestic EgyptAir flight and threatened to blow it up with a fake suicide belt is an “extremely dangerous man”, his Cypriot ex-wife has said.

Marina Paraschou rejected media reports that 59-year-old Seif Eddin Mustafa hijacked the Airbus A320 with 72 passengers and crew on board out of love for her.

She said he used drugs, terrorised his family and beat her and their children.

In an interview published on Wednesday in leading daily Phileleftheros, Ms Paraschou said Mustafa never asked to speak to her and police only asked her to identify his voice.

She said Mustafa was a “fanatical” supporter of the Palestine Liberation Organisation who bragged about participating in the killing of three Israeli soldiers and was jailed for four years in Syria.

Source: Jewish News