Taliban Joke Lands Indian Origin Boy From UK in Trouble

“On my way to blow up the plane. I'm a member of the Taliban,” read the message that 18-Year-old British citizen of Indian origin AdityaVerma sent on a private Snapchat group shortly before boarding his EasyJet flight from London Gatwick Airport.
Little did he know what was going to follow after he pressed the send button on Snapchat group.
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 traveling.
The aircraft was combed 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.
According to the proceedings in a Madrid court, it was assumed that the message raised concerns after being intercepted through Gatwick's Wi-Fi network. Subsequently, two Spanish F-18 fighter jets were sent to flank the aircraft.
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 traveling 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 would 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. Spanish state prosecutors also want him to pay nearly € 1 Million for the cost of mobilising fighter jets.
But it will also raise questions about whether the authorities should have evaluated the threat before mobilization in what may seem like a joke by a teenager. It can also be argued that such threat need to be acted immediately else it may result in loss of life and property.
So all eyes currently lie on the verdict, that makes it an interesting judgment to look forward to in all such cases and also the cases in which a joke may be interpreted as a threat.

[@ShortsMasala]

😂😂😂😂
He using Airport WiFi 😂😂

[@Aashi5656]

Nice