Czech police charge would-be Russian hijacker

PRAGUE, Dec 29 (Reuters) Czech authorities today charged a Russian man of endangering an aircraft's security for trying to hijack an Aeroflot flight from Moscow to Geneva, and said he could face up to 15 years in jail, officials said.

The suspect has been held in Prague where the Russian Airbus A-320 made an emergency landing yesterday. The Russian had tried to force his way into the flight deck but passengers and crew members overpowered him.

A spokesman at the prosecutor's office in Prague said the man was charged with endangering the aircraft's security and a judge has been asked to take him into custody.

''The possible jail sentence is between eight and 15 years,'' the spokesman said, adding there was no plan to extradite the suspect to Russia for now.

The name of the man was not officially released.

Czech foreigners' police said yesterday there were 170 people on board and eight crew members, none of whom were injured. The plane left Prague for Geneva late yesterday.

REUTERS PDM VV1935