BELIZE CITY, Tues. Sept. 25, 2018– The 22-year-old son of University of Belize president Clement Sankat appeared in the Brevard County Court in Florida last Friday. Nishal Sankat allegedly attempted to steal a passenger plane from the Melbourne International Airport in Orlando, Florida, last Thursday morning, September 20.

Reports out of the US indicated that Clement Sankat issued a statement on Thursday night saying that the family was standing in support of his son.

When the hearing ended, Sankat, who has been charged with three offences in connection with his alleged attempt to steal a passenger plane, was ordered to be held without bond. At the hearing, Sankat did not have an attorney. He was, however, represented by an appointed public defender, and had difficulties in filling out forms which reportedly asked some basic questions, even after his case was stood down for him to complete the task of filling out the forms.

Sankat, in an exchange with the judge, revealed that he did not own a home in Florida, but said his parents owned a home there.

When he was asked in court if he worked, he replied, “No, I am a student.”

Also at the hearing, two Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents testified, before the judge ruled that there was probable cause to justify the charges.

One of the FBI agents told the court that he responded to a “possible terrorist incident, and had interviewed Sankat.” The agent said that Sankat said “he intended to harm himself…and in that process he had no regard for the eventuality of harming others in the process.”

Sankat was spotted on Thursday morning after he entered the American Airlines airbus on the airport tarmac. The agent said that the aircraft was under maintenance at the time, but capable of taking off.

A second agent said that when Sankat entered the aircraft, he was confronted by a member of the maintenance staff, who did not see a badge on him.

Sankat, a former Hillview student, was escorted off the aircraft and taken to a hangar, where he was further questioned.

The judge asked for more information about Sankat’s alleged intention for getting onto the aircraft.

An agent told the court that he asked Sankat, who said it was in an attempt to harm himself, and that he would have taken the aircraft to harm himself.

The court was informed that Sankat, who is not employed, received a US$5,000 a month stipend from his parents to attend school, and shared a bank account with them.

Sankat, who holds dual citizenship in Canada and Trinidad and Tobago, was asked if he wanted to question the agents, and he said no.

UB president Sankat is reportedly out of the country at this time.