The flight landed safely at Cairo airport. The man was arrested and was being questioned by state security, the official said.
The Boeing aircraft was carrying 87 passengers, a Cairo police official said. He identified the suspect as Mohammed Hamad Nourain, 26, and said he used a passport with a phony name to board the flight.
The man told flight attendants he wanted to "liberate Jerusalem," the police official said.
Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to provide the information to journalists.
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