VALLETTA, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Two Libyan men, who had hijacked an Afriqiyah Airways plane diverted to Malta, had threatened to blow it up if it did not land in Rome, a Malta court heard on Wednesday.
Moussa Saha Ali Soko and Ali Ahmed Saleh are facing multiple terrorism-related charges for hijacking the plane on Dec. 23.
They face life imprisonment if found guilty.
During the first day of the trial, a court heard that the hijackers gave the pilot a note threatening to blow up the plane if their demands to land in Rome were not met.
The plane was diverted to Malta where 109 passengers and seven crew members were released unharmed.
Police Inspector Omar Zammit told the court that the two hijackers refused to reveal their motives for the hijack and whether they formed part of a political group.
The hijackers were found with two mobile phones each, which contained pictures of the plane's interior.
They were also found with two pistols and a hand grenade, which turned out to be fake.
The court heard how Soko refused to explain to police why he waved a green flag from the era of deposed Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi during the hijack.
