Police: Bolivian acted alone in hijacking

MEXICO CITY, Sept. 9 (UPI) -- A man who said he spoke to God and wanted to warn of impending disaster acted alone in threatening to blow up an AeroMexico jetliner Wednesday, officials said.

Authorities identified the suspect as Jose Mar Flores Pereira, 44, of Bolivia, who called himself a Christian pastor and said he had spoken to God, The New York Times reported.

Flores, who authorities said had a history of drug and alcohol abuse, had threatened to blow up the plane as it flew from Cancun unless he could speak to Mexican President Felipe Calderon to warn him about coming disaster, said Genaro Garcia Luna, Mexico's public safety secretary.

"He said that because of that divine reference he wanted to alert Mexico City of an earthquake," Garcia said.

Flores, escorted by police, smiled and chewed gum.

"Christ is coming soon," he told reporters.

Mexican police and soldiers who charged the Boeing 737 had taken at least five men into custody following a standoff at the airport in Mexico City, but authorities later said Flores acted alone.

The 104 passengers on AeroMexico Flight 576 from Cancun to Mexico City were released about an hour after the 2:40 pm EST landing, El Universal reported online.

Flores had a criminal record in Bolivia for armed robbery and had told authorities the date -- Sept. 9, 2009, or 9/09/09 -- had a connection to 666 and that Mexico might suffer a devastating earthquake as a result, the Times reported.