Egyptair flight hijack: Five things about the hijacker

The hijacker of an Egyptair flight, Ibrahim Samaha, is an Egyptian national aged 27 or 28 years old. He diverted the Egyptair flight from Alexandria to Cairo on Tuesday morning.

Here's what we know about him:

1) The hijacker who allegedly threatened Egyptair pilot with a suicide bomb has been identified Ibrahim Samaha, an Egyptian.

2) A native of the Egyptian Mediterranean city of Alexandria, Samaha has an estranged Cypriot wife, who he has demanded to see. She is being brought to Larnaca airport, a government source said. The woman lives in the village of Oroklini not far from the airport.

3) Some reports identified the hijacker as a professor from Alexandria University also named Ibrahim Samaha but he denied that he was the hijacker in an interview with BBC Arabic, saying he had been on the plane but was among the evacuated passengers.

4) A spokesperson for the Egyptian government said Samaha wanted to travel to Istanbul but decided on Cyprus when he was told there was not enough fuel for the journey.

5) While there were earlier reports that Samaha was demanding political asylum, Cyprus broadcasting reported that Samaha may have personal motives who wanted to win his ex-wife back.