Kyrgyzstan Confirms Iran Intercepted Plane, Arrested Two Passengers
Taalaibek
Turumbekov, deputy chief of Kyrgyzstan Aba Joldoru, the national
airline, told RFE/RL that a plane flying from Dubai was made to land in
the southern Iranian city of Bandar Abbas on February 23, escorted by
two Iranian jets.
Turumbekov said Iranian security forces
arrested two of the 119 passengers on board. He said the plane was
later allowed to continue its flight to Bishkek:
"The plane was
forced to land at Bandar Abbas airport, while flying over Iranian
territory. They held the plane for three-four hours, checked it, and
kept two people," Turumbekov said.
The aircraft belonged to Kyrgyzstan's Istok-Avia company.
There has been no comment so far from the Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry.
Iranian
authorities announced on February 23 that that they had seized the
leader of the Sunni rebel group Jundallah, Abdolmalek Rigi, on a flight
from Dubai to Bishkek.
It was unclear who was the second
passenger taken out of the plane, but Iranian media reported that at
least one more Jundallah member had also been arrested in the
operation.
Jundallah confirmed its leader's arrest on a blog
(junbish.blogspot.com) that has been carrying statements by the group
in recent years.
Reference :
http://www.rferl.org/content/Kyrgyzstan_Confirms_Iran_Intercepted_Plane_Arrested_Two_Passengers/1967264.html

