Belgium Holds Cairo Flight over "Suspect" Passenger

A scheduled Brussels-Cairo flight by the Egyptian airline Egyptair was cancelled on Saturday because of suspicious behaviour by a passenger, Belgian police said.

Egyptair flight MS 726 was denied clearance for take off to let security "re-examine the passenger list and baggage", the federal police said in a brief press release.

"In the light of uncertainties about a passenger and as a matter of precaution, the flight cannot takeoff until security services are able to carry out wider checks," it said.

The Flemish-language newspaper Het Nieuwsblad said that the passenger was detained for questioning after saying "something's going to happen" on the flight. He was already under monitoring by the security services, it added.

The flight should have taken off at 3:55 p.m. (1:55 p.m. GMT) but was cancelled several hours later, and passengers were put on other flights, the French-language daily Le Soir said.

The police and Brussels' airport authority could not be immediately reached for comment.