B.C. pilot charged with hijacking and terrorism over Vancouver flight
A man charged with hijacking a light plane at Victoria International Airport and flying it to Vancouver had an "ideological motive to disrupt airspace" and seized control of the aircraft after threatening a flight instructor, RCMP said Wednesday.
A spokeswoman for the Public Prosecution Service of Canada said a charge of hijacking had been filed in Richmond, B.C., constituting a "terrorist activity" and a "terrorist offence" under two sections of the Criminal Code.
RCMP said Shaheer Cassim, 39, is set to appear in court next Tuesday.
RCMP arrest alleged hijacker at Vancouver airport after airspace shut down
RCMP say they've arrested the pilot of a small aircraft that was allegedly hijacked from Victoria and flown to Vancouver International Airport, where other flights had to be temporarily halted.
RCMP in Richmond, B.C., say in a statement that a report came in just after 1 p.m. Tuesday about a Cessna that "had been hijacked" and was on its way to Vancouver.
Police say the "sole occupant" of the plane was arrested after it touched down.