Journalist released after identity mix-up in deadly 1985 plane hijacking case
The man was arrested in connection with the 1985 hijacking of a TWA flight.
A 65-year-old Lebanese man, who was arrested last week in connection with a deadly hijacking, was released by authorities after it was determined that he had been wrongfully accused.
The man was arrested last Thursday in connection with the 1985 hijacking of a Trans World Airlines flight, an attack that left a U.S. Navy diver dead.
Hijackers held 153 passengers and crew members aboard the plane prior to takeoff before releasing them in stages over the course of 17 days.
The unidentified man was detained last Thursday on the Greek resort island of Mykonos while having his passport checked, authorities said.
Authorities later confirmed that although the man's name was identical to that of the wanted man, he provided a different family tree than the actual suspect.
Officers eventually determined that "the arrested foreigner was a recognized journalist in Beirut and obviously this is about a synonymy confusion," authorities said in a statement.
The Associated Press identified the wrongfully accused man as Mohamed Saleh. He said he is considering taking legal action.
"I am a retired man who was going to enjoy a vacation and received what I don't wish on anyone," he said.
Related Stories
ABC News Live