An Indian-origin British man has appeared in Spanish court after joking about blowing up a plane. Aditya Verma was travelling to the island of Menorca with friends in July 2022 when he sent a text message claiming he was a member of the Taliban and would blow up the plane.
“On my way to blow up the plane. I'm a member of the Taliban,” read the message that Verma sent on a private Snapchat group shortly before boarding his EasyJet flight from London Gatwick Airport, according to BBC.
The message was picked up by UK security services, who alerted Spanish authorities. Two Spanish F-18 fighter jets were sent to flank the aircraft on which Verma was travelling.
The aircraft was searched thoroughly after landing and Verma was arrested. He was 18 at the time, and spent two days in a police cell before being released on bail.
The trial
Appearing in a Spanish court on Monday for his trial, Verma said he was joking about the bomb threat. “The intention was never to cause public distress or cause public harm,” he said, noting that his remarks were “a joke in a private group setting.”
“It was just sent to my friends I was travelling with on the day,” the Indian-origin chess prodigy said, as per BBC.
He claimed that calling himself Taliban was an inside joke. “I was called a Taliban at school because of my features and I used to joke about it and I know the Taliban is considered to be a terrorist group,” Verma told the Madrid court. “But I didn't think it was going to cause people on the flight to be afraid because it was sent to a private friends' group and wasn't meant for them.”
If he is found guilty, Verma faces a penalty of €22,500 (Rs 20 lakh approximately). Spanish state prosecutors also want him to pay €94,782,47 for the cost of mobilising fighter jets.
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