The aircraft took off from Baghdad International Airport en route to Bahrain International Airport at 06:30 UTC with an experienced crew of three: two Belgians, 38-year-old Captain Eric Genotte and 29-year-old First Officer Steeve Michielsen, and a Briton, 54-year-old flight engineer Mario Rofail.
SNAS/DHL handles Middle East destinations from its headquarters and main regional hub at Bahrain International Airport, operating a fleet of Boeing 727-200 and 757-200 freighters.
His first target is duty free alcohol sales at Bahrain International Airport, saying "This is an Islamic country and imagine the nation's frontier is booze shops. Prostitution is a profitable investment, so why is it banned in the country? Why don't allow it in the open like alcohol? Alcohol should be criminalised as prostitution, because both are unacceptable Islamically, morally and socially."
Muharraq island is also the site of Bahrain International Airport, although the local Asalah MP has called for it to be relocated because the sound of aeroplanes landing and taking off has disturbed local residents.
However, on 20 March, while attempting to depart Bahrain via the Bahrain International Airport, he was seized by four plainclothes police officers.
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