Swedish police continued their investigations into Thursday¿s foiled hijack attempt as the legal deadline to press charges against the man of Tunisian origin suspected of planning to hijack a plane, just days before the first anniversary of the September 11 attacks, approached.
Prosecutors have until midday tomorrow to convince a court to remand Swedish citizen Mr Kerim Chatty (29) in custody for two more weeks or free him. The court will announce its decision tomorrow and formal charges would follow later if a case is made.
Mr Chatty was arrested on Thursday at Vasteras, a small airport near Stockholm, after a gun was found in his hand luggage as he tried to board a Ryanair flight to Britain.
Intelligence sources said the suspect was planning to hijack a plane and crash it into a US embassy in Europe, but this was denied by a top security police official.
However Ms Margareta Linderoth, in charge of counter-terrorism at Sweden's Sapo security police, said Mr Chatty was known to have taken flying lessons in the United States, although failed to complete his course.
Swedish intelligence and security police sources told Reuters four other men, including an explosives expert, were being sought in connection with the incident at Vasteras airport, a claim Ms Linderoth denied.
At the hearing in Vasteras tomorrow, prosecutors will lay out the case on which they plan to lay charges. The court will then be cleared as the judge hears from the suspect and his lawyer, and will decide whether to remand Mr Chatty for further investigations.
Prosecutors then have a further two weeks to finalise their case. A police spokesman said Mr Chatty would probably be charged with planning a hijack or illegal possession of firearms and possibly further charges. He could face life imprisonment if found guilty.