Alleged mentally ill person with grenade briefly hijacks bus

TIRANA, Oct. 8 – A 25-year old Albanian briefly for 20 minutes hijacked a bus with some 25 passengers going from Durres to Tirana, threatening to explode a grenade unless it took him to Mother Teresa international airport. Police interfered immediately after an SMS message from one of the passengers and disarmed him. Naim Hoti, a journalist for Bulevard newspaper, sent the message to Durres prosecutor Nasip Nace who told police. Ardian Sina stopped the bus in Sukth at about 1400 local time telling the driver he would explode a hand grenade unless the bus took him to Rinasi airport. Deputy Interior Minister Gjergj Lezhja said it was “very likely” that the suspect was suffering from mental problems. The official said all passengers were safe and an investigation was under way. Two days later prosecutors said they would make the medical tests to show that Sina was not normal.
Sina, a resident of Koder Kamez, had suffered a car accident three years ago and it was believed he is not mentally normal. He had left his house four days ago claiming he would go to Greece as he was unemployed. During those days he had gone to Korca, Elbasan, Rrogozhine and Durres. After arrest Sina said he was obliged to immigrate to Italy and had decided to go by hijacking a plane at Rinasi airport. Sina also asked pardon to all passengers and the bus driver for what he had done.
Prime Minister Sali Berisha hailed police forces for the solution of the hijacking without letting the person cause any harm to the passengers. He hailed the immediate, courageous and professional reaction from the police. Berisha also thanked passengers for letting police know about the case, adding that their close cooperation with police would be the best guarantee for security in the country.