MH128: Man who allegedly threatened to bomb plane expected to face court

PETALING JAYA: The mentally unstable man who allegedly threatened to bomb Malaysia Airlines Flight MH128 is expected to be brought to an Australian court on Thursday (June 1).  

The Sydney Morning Herald quoted Victoria police chief commissioner Graham Ashton as saying that the suspect was likely to be charged at a Melbourne magistrate's court.  

According to the news agency, the Sri Lanka national was believed to be a “voluntary patient” who was just released from the Monash Medical Centre psychiatric facility in Clayton, hours before the incident.  

Police were given clearance to question the suspect after he was assessed to be fit for interview on psychological grounds, the news outlet said.  

Flight MH128 from Melbourne to Kuala Lumpur returned to the Australian airport shortly after take off late Wednesday after the suspect, who was holding a large unknown black device, attempted to enter the cockpit.  

Passengers and crew tackled the man and tied him up with seat belts until the flight landed, a witness told Reuters.  

Armed security personnel entered the plane to remove the man and escort other passengers off the aircraft, he said.  

The plane landed safely and the man was apprehended by airport security, said Malaysia Airlines.  

Police said the incident was not terrorism-related and a 25-year old man had been taken into custody.  

The airline stressed the flight had not at any point been hijacked.  

It had departed at 11.11pm local time, and returned at 11.41pm.