Australian Police Arrest Pakistan-Origin Man for Alleged Bomb Threat on Malaysia Airlines Flight

 A Pakistan-origin man, Muhammad Arif Ali, was arrested by Australian police on Tuesday after he allegedly made claims of carrying explosives on board a Malaysia Airlines flight from Sydney to Kuala Lumpur. The flight was forced to return to Sydney due to the threat.

Ali has been charged with making a false statement about a threat to damage an aircraft and not complying with cabin crew's safety instructions. The incident occurred three hours after the flight departed from Sydney on Monday. Videos of Ali praying on a prayer mat in the airplane's aisle and repeatedly asking people if they were slaves of Allah went viral.

The disruptive behavior led to the flight returning to Sydney. Sydney Airport reported that thirty-two domestic flights were cancelled and other domestic flights were delayed by up to 90 minutes due to the incident. However, there were no international flight cancellations.

Muhammad Arif Ali is a former Pakistani model and actor who appeared in a music video for singer Abrar-ul-Haq's song, 'Preeto' in 2002. He also worked as an architect in Pakistan from 2002 to 2016. His colleagues and lawyer have suggested that he may have mental health issues and are requesting a psychological assessment.

While Australian authorities reassured the public that there was no imminent threat to the community, the details surrounding the incident remain unclear. Muhammad Arif Ali's charges were expected to be presented in a formal hearing on Monday night, providing further information about the alleged offense.