High-jacked Russian plane landed in al-Madina

al -Munawara he director of al-Madina al-Munawara airport Abdul Fattah Atta said that the two Chechenyan who high-jacked the Russian plane from Istanbul and landed at the airport of al-Madina l-Munawara on Thursday did not decide their demands, but other sources said the high-jackers demand halting the Russian campaign in Chechenya..

The Saudi official in charge of civil aviation Ali al-Khalaf said that no contacts have been so far made with the high-jackers while later news said the high-jackers freed children and women among the kidnapped.

A Russian diplomat in al-Riyadh said the Russian embassy is contacting the Saudi authorities after co-ordination over the landing of the plane.

Earlier, an official at the Saudi navigation commission, asked not to be identified said that the plane which has on its board 167 passengers landed at al-Madina airport after it was permitted to do so.

He added that a work team including officials at al-Madina airport was formed to deal with this incident.