KZBlog

I was tempted to call this post, “What?” because the story is so odd. As you’ve probably seen by now since it’s made the news Valery Tolmachev from Kazakhstan attempted to hijack an Al-Italia flight from Paris to Rome. One hour into the flight, the 48-year old, got up, apologixed several times to the people sitting near him, and held a penknife to the flight attendant demanding to go to Tripoli. He was nervous and abashed, according to some accounts, and as he tried to move toward the cockpit, he tripped, giving passengers and flight attendants a chance to subdue him.

If it’s the same Mr. Tolmachev, he works as an advisor to the Kazakhstan delegation to UNESCO. Olzhas Suleimenov, the well-known poet and linguist, and head of the delegation said there was no reason to believe he would do this and that it must be some “mental illness”: “I never noticed him trying to go to Triploi or overall talking about Kaddafi or anyone there. He was never involved. This is mental illness.”

Police have found no sign of conspiracy or links to terrorism. Given that he tried to hijack a plane with a penknife, it doesn’t sound like either a professional job or a serious attempt. I have to agree with Mr. Suleimenov that something got to the man. I hope that he gets some rest, some therapy and that no one holds this too harshly against him.