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Aust man arrested on Canada flight

An Afghanistan war veteran was forced to help flight attendants subdue an Australian passenger on a flight from China to Canada.

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Source: AAP


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An Australian passenger accused of going on a violent rampage on a flight from China to Canada has been charged with disturbance, mischief and assault.

Abdul Zain Ali, 25, was arrested on Sunday after the China Southern Airline flight landed in Vancouver.

About halfway through the flight from Guangzhou, when the lights in the cabin were down and most passengers were sleeping, Ali allegedly ran down the aisle screaming and headed for the emergency exit.

Passengers, including Afghanistan war veteran James Leigh, said they helped flight attendants subdue and handcuff Ali.

"I got kicked, I got hit, I got hurt, but we managed to get him in handcuffs," Leigh told Vancouver's The Province newspaper.

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Ali, who remains in custody, made a brief appearance in Vancouver's Richmond Provincial Court on Monday.

He is expected to apply for bail on Tuesday.


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