‘I Am With Taliban’: Indian-Origin man faces trial in Spain for joke
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London: A British man is facing trial in Spain after making a joke about blowing up a flight while traveling to the island of Menorca in July 2022.
Aditya Verma sent a message on Snapchat before leaving Gatwick airport that day, saying ‘On my way to blow up the plane (I'm a member of the Taliban).’
UK security services detected the message, bringing to the attention of Spanish authorities as the easyJet plane was still in the air, NDTV reported.
Shortly after the message was intercepted through Gatwick's Wi-Fi network, two Spanish F-18 fighter jets began to flank the aircraft, according to court proceedings in Mandrid.
One of the jets followed the plane until it arrived in Menorca where Verma was arrested.
Verma, who was 18-year-old at the time, spent two days in police custody before receiving bail.
Back in UK, he was subjected to questioning by British intelligence agencies MI5 and MI6 before he was allowed to return to his home in Orpington, Kent.
Verma – a student at Bath University - said the message he sent was ‘a joke’ to his friends he was travelling with on the day.
Although there are no terrorism charges, Verma will face expenses for two Spanish Air Force jets were deployed, If found guilty.
He may have to pay a fine of up to 22,500 Euros (Rs 20,35,145) and alongside the Spanish defence ministry is seeking 95,000 Euros (Rs 85,92,835) in expenses.
As the trial is now underway, Verma on Monday told a Madrid court that his intension was ‘never to cause public distress or cause public harm’.
