Trinidadian national Nishal Sankat allegedly meant to use the American Airlines airbus 321 he attempted to steal to harm himself at the Orlando Melbourne International Airport on Thursday.
This was revealed by a Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) agent in a Brevard County Courtroom yesterday, where the former Hillview College student also stood before a judge charged with violation of a visa and criminal trespassing.
The agent, who interviewed the 22-year-old student pilot following his arrest, said Sankat had no regard if he harmed others with his actions. But while the FBI agent who interviewed Sankat confirmed he had been assigned to do so due to suspicion of terrorist activity, US investigators are yet to find any evidence to support this was the motive for Sankat’s actions.
US media reported that Melbourne police, the FBI and the Joint Terrorism Task Force were still reviewing evidence collected from Sankat’s home, which is owned by Sankat’s parents. However, they found no weapon or explosive when they searched the home at a townhouse complex off Eber Boulevard, Melbourne, Florida.
“There were no explosive devices and no weapons that were confiscated from his residence,” Melbourne Police Chief David Gillespie said.
Gillespie also confirmed Sankat had no previous convictions and was unarmed at the time of the arrest.
During the hearing, it was confirmed that Sankat was a part-time student at the Florida Institute of Technology, where he studied Aviation Management. He told the court he did not have a job but instead received a US$5,000 stipend from his family. He also confirmed he had dual citizenship, holding both Canadian and Trinidad & Tobago passports.
US media interviewed several of Sankat’s friends and classmates, with most expressing shock over his actions. Most explained he was obsessed with aviation. Sankat had completed flight training at the school and did have a commercial airplane license, although its rating would not have allowed him to fly a plane in the class of the American Airlines jet.
The Federal Aviation Administration website said Sankat received his airplane license in January.
The prosecution objected to a US$22,500 bond on the basis that Sankat is a dual citizen of Trinidad and Tobago and Canada and also on the basis that he was deemed a threat to the community. Sankat was granted a bond on the first two charges but not on the charge of grand theft, so he will have to stay in prison.
At the end of the hearing, the judge also ruled that he was not to have any contact with Melbourne Airport personnel or visit the airport in the future.
Sankat is the son of former University of the West Indies (St Augustine) principal Professor Clement Sankat. On Thursday evening, Professor Sankat said his son had been “very depressed” earlier this week. The family later released a statement stressing the importance of being aware of the challenges of young students living away.
“What has occurred acutely underscores to the family the need to be aware of the challenges young students face, especially those living away from home and family.”
The statement said the family had not heard from the 22-year-old since his arrest, a fact confirmed in the court when Sankat said he had attempted to contact his parents following his arrest but had not reached them.
Prof Sankat gave no further comment on the case yesterday.