Malaysia Airlines flight turns back to Sydney after passenger's outburst

MALAYSIA AIRLINES AIRBUS A330-323 9M-MTK (MSN 1388)

A passenger on board a Malaysia Airlines flight from Sydney (SYD/YSSY) to Kuala Lumpur (KUL/ WMKK) forced it to turn back to Sydney yesterday after he apparently started shouting at passengers: 'Are you slaves of Allah?'

A passenger on the flight said the irate passenger 'unzipped his backpack, put his hands in, made barely veiled threats about having something dangerous in it screaming at the top of his lungs right next to my seat. I've never been so scared he said.'

It is understood that members of the flight crew examined the bag and did not find anything dangerous in it.

MH122 was due to depart at 13.05 (Sydney time) but didn't get away until after 13.30. It taxied out for runway 16R, getting airborne at 13.41. 

14.51, one hour ten minutes into the flight, the pilots made the decision to turn the aircraft around and divert back to Sydney, landing on runway 16R at 15.47.

The aircraft rolled through to the end of the runway and was isolated there at the end of the airport's runway, while the other passengers had all been moved to another part of the jet.

Emergency vehicles surround the plane on landing.

Video apparently from inside the plane shows an elderly man standing in the aisle face-to-face with an air steward yelling and screaming.

It has been reported the irate passenger says his name is Mohammed and that he is a 'slave of Allah', before challenging other passengers nearby to repeat that they are also 'slaves of Allah'.

He became heated at one stage, pointing his finger at passengers and shouted at one: 'Say it!'

Where is airport security?! It's been well over an hour since the plane has landed back!!!' a passenger wrote.

In a second video later, he added: 'This lunatic is getting aggressive & poor people on board are still waiting for security to get in and take him to Allah through the right process.

'Sydney Airport is waiting for what?!'

Another passenger onboard the flight also tweeted: 'This guy should have been stopped at the gate before boarding, his actions were unsettling from start.'

He added: 'Flight got diverted back to Sydney due this random idiot who started threatening staff and passengers.