ANKARA, Turkey Oct 3, 2006 (AP)— A Turkish Airlines plane carrying 107 passengers from Tirana, Albania to Istanbul, Turkey, was hijacked Tuesday and landed at Italy's Brindisi airport, a company spokesman said.

Private Turkish television station NTV, quoting unidentified security officials, said plane was hijacked to protest Pope Benedict XVI's planned visit to Turkey next month.

http://abcnews.go.com/International/...ory?id=2521881


From BBC:

It sent out an SOS twice in Greek airspace, and both Greece and Italy scrambled fighter jets to escort it before it landed in Brindisi.

The Turkish Airlines plane is carrying at least 107 passengers.

Unconfirmed reports say there are two hijackers and they are protesting about the Pope's planned visit to Turkey.

According to Turkey's private television channel NTV, the two hijackers, who oppose Pope Benedict's visit scheduled for November, are ready to surrender.

A Greek defence official who speak to Reuters said the plane had entered Greek air space at 1758 (1458 GMT) and four Greek fighters took off to escort it.

The Italian air force in turn sent up two F-16s to intercept the plane and reportedly force it to land in Brindisi.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/5403976.stm