
Ex-pilot called himself messiah on climate-change mission, day before alleged hijack
The day before the suspected hijacking of a light aircraft triggered a security scare at Vancouver’s airport this week, former commercial pilot Shaheer Cassim posted on social media that he was a “messenger of Allah” sent to save humanity from climate change.
A 39-year-old man with the same name has now been charged with hijacking, constituting terrorism, over the incident on Tuesday that saw Norad scramble F-15 fighter jets before the light plane safely landed.
RCMP say the suspect had an “ideological motive” and allegedly seized control of the plane at Victoria International Airport after threatening a flight instructor, before flying to Vancouver.
Images posted on social media depicting the arrest of the Cessna’s pilot on the north runway of YVR show a bearded man who resembles climate activist Cassim.