A hostage of a jet plane hijacked by 11 Afghans de
A hostage of a jet plane hijacked by 11 Afghans desperate to flee their tyrannical regime told an Old Bailey jury today (Fri) of the wicked atrocities he witnessed at the hands of the Taliban.
The passenger had boarded the Boeing 727 from Afghanistan’s capital Kabul with his family intending to fly to his home city of Mazir Sharif, 400 miles north.
But the aircraft was taken over by 11 men armed with guns, knives and hand grenades and diverted to London in a bid to seek asylum in Britain, it is alleged.
The hostage, a tailor by profession, told how terrified passengers on the overcrowed Ariana Airlines jet had guns pushed into their faces, were forced to keep their heads between their knees and some were tied up.
Later, the man – who cannot be named – told jurors in disturbing detail of his terror when the Taliban took over his home city two years ago.
The father-of-two admitted applying for asylum in England for fear of being tortured and executed if he returns home.
In his homeland he told of public executions held in football-type stadiums, slaughtered bodies left to decay in the streets, and horrific mass torturing.
He recalled the day the streets were terrorised in August 1998: ‘They were all in the streets just firing at people.
Everybody took refuge in their houses.
‘They didn’t care and just fired at anybody as they tried to gain control of Mazir Sharif.
‘A lot of people were killed.
I don’t remember the number but it could have run into the thousands.
‘It was not even possible to bury the bodies left in the street.
The Taliban wouldn’t allow them to be taken away.
‘Eventually some were taken away because of the stench.
Some were eaten by dogs.
Everyone just stayed in their homes – I don’t know what would have happened if we tried to go outside.
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He said others were arrested by Taliban representatives and packed into 20ft metal containers where they would be left to suffocate.
‘I don’t know how many people were put into the containers, but they were stuffed in tightly.
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He talked of public displays of punishment where innocent people were executed or had limbs ripped from their sockets.
‘People who watched this felt nauseated and sick.
Some would vomit – all were shocked.
‘Amputated limbs were taken to public places in the city and hung from trees.
Women and children would cry and shout.
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The defendants claim to be part of the 2,000 strong anti-Taleban group, the ‘Young Intellectuals of Afghanistan.
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They took control of the aircraft just 15 minutes after take-off during a routine 40 minute flight, the court has heard.
The pilot was ordered to fly to Stansted Airport, Essex where they held more than 150 passengers and crew ”at the point of a gun” during a three day siege to demand asylum.
Alleged leader Ali Safi, 35, Abdul Shohab, 21, Taimur Shah, 28, Muhammed Kazim, 27, Reshad Ahmodi, 23, Nazamuddin Mohammidy, 27, Abdul Ghayur, 24, Mohammed Showaib, 25, Khalil Ullah, 31, and Mohammed Safi, 33, all deny hijacking.
They and Waheed Lutfi, 22, all deny two charges of false imprisonment and possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, and possession of explosives between 5 and 11 February, 2000.
The trial continues.
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