Officials: Plane hijacking suspect acted alone

• Officials say suspect demanded flight be diverted to Sochi
• Suspect demanded the release of %22all hostages in Ukraine%2C%22 police say
• Artem Hozlov is currently in Istanbul being questioned by special anti-terrorist units

BERLIN — A Ukrainian man suspected of trying to hijack and divert an Istanbul-bound plane Friday to Sochi was likely acting alone out of outrage over a crackdown on protesters in Ukraine, Ukrainian and Turkish security officials said Saturday.

Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) announced the opening of criminal proceedings against Artem Hozlov, identified by Turkish officials as the suspect who demanded the Kharkiv-Istanbul flight be diverted to Sochi on Friday evening, where the Winter Olympics were opening.

SBU's head of investigations, Maxim Lenko, told reporters the suspect said he wanted to go to Sochi because that was "where (Russian President) Vladimir Putin and (Ukrainian leader) Viktor Yanukovych are meeting, both of whom have blood on their hands," the Ukraine daily Kommersant reported.

Hozlov also demanded the release of "all hostages in Ukraine," in a reference to detained anti-government protesters, Lenko said. Ongoing anti-government protests broke out in November in Ukraine, and have led to at least four deaths and dozens of activists' arrests.

SBU officials described Hozlov's state as one of "extreme intoxication," echoing passenger accounts reported by Turkish media.

Turkish NTV television also quoted passengers who said Hozlov was demanding the release of "prisoners" in Ukraine and freedom for former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko, who is currently serving a seven-year sentence on charges of abuse of office.

Meanwhile, Turkish Transportation Minister Lutfi Elvan told state TRT media that Hozlov was likely acting alone.

"We think it was an individual thing," Lutfi Elvan said. "It may be linked to protests in Ukraine. ... We think it isn't as serious as we initially believed."

On Saturday, Hozlov was being questioned by special anti-terrorist units in Istanbul, Turkish state media reported.

Officials said Hozlov attempted to hijack the plane with the threat of a bomb but was thwarted after the crew tricked him into believing the plane landed in Sochi when it actually was in Istanbul. On on the ground, the airliner was quickly surrounded by Turkish police and military.

Turkish officials said Hozlov agreed to the evacuation of passengers. Afterward, security officials snuck on board and overpowered the suspect, who was slightly injured during the attack, TRT reported.

The plane was carrying 110 passengers and crew when it landed at Sabiha Gokcen airport, on the city's Asia side. No one was injured but Hozlov, and no bomb was found in the aircraft, Turkish officials said.

The plane landed around 6 p.m. as the opening ceremonies for the Winter Olympics began. For weeks, there has been mounting concern over potential terrorist attacks in Sochi, which is part of Russia's volatile North Caucasus region. About 100,000 police officers have been deployed to protect athletes, spectators and residents.