A passenger on a Turkish Airlines flight allegedly invoked Sharia law to avoid sitting next to a female passenger before assaulting a flight attendant who attempted to intervene, according to reports.
The 29-year-old Turkish man, a migrant residing in Germany, was taken into custody by police upon the flight's arrival in Dusseldorf on June 1, German newspaper Bild reported.
A police spokesperson stated that initial witness accounts indicated the man cited Sharia law as his reason for refusing to sit next to a woman. This claim has no legal standing in Germany.
When a female flight attendant approached the passenger to address the situation, he allegedly slapped or punched her in the face. Following his arrest, the unidentified passenger reportedly confessed to the assault after initially verbally abusing the arresting officers, some of whom spoke Turkish.
He faces charges for insulting officers and assaulting the flight attendant.