RIYADH, 16 September — Philippine authorities yesterday released Saudi pilot Muhammad Omar Bukhari, whom they had detained on arrival in Manila on Thursday because of a similarity in his name with that of a suspect in Tuesday’s terror attacks in the United States.
Saudi Ambassador to the Philippines Saleh Al-Ghamdi told Asharq Al-Awsat Arabic newspaper that Bukhari was released on bail.
He will return to the Kingdom tomorrow, he added.
“There is no particular reason for the detention and questioning of Bukhari except the similarity in his name with the attack suspect,” the ambassador said. “His release was delayed because of weekend holiday in the Philippines.”
Bukhari was a crew member of Saudi Arabian Airlines flight 870 from Jeddah to Manila. He was supposed to return on the same flight, but the airline had to sent another pilot for the return flight to Jeddah.
