Achille Lauro hijacker faces trial for escape from prison

ROME, May 26 (JTA) — Youssef Magied al-Molqi, a Palestinian convicted of hijacking the Achille Lauro cruise ship in 1985, will go on trial in September for escaping last year from the Rome prison where he was serving a 30-year jail term. Sources said two other Palestinians would be tried as accomplices in the escape. Molqi, who was jailed for participating in the hijacking and for killing wheelchair-bound passenger Leon Klinghoffer, failed to return to Rome’s Rebibbia Prison after a 12-day good conduct leave in February 1996. He was eventually arrested in Spain and was extradited to Italy last December.