F18 fighter jets had to be deployed after a teen’s Snapchat message to a friend accidentally sparked a terror alert onboard a packed flight.
EasyJet passenger Aditya Verma, 18, was heading on vacation when he jokingly sent a message to a friend saying, “On my way to blow up the plane (I’m a member of the Taliban),” while on a flight from London Gatwick Airport.
However, the seemingly private joke caused quite a stir after it was picked up by the wi-fi network at London’s Gatwick Airport prompting a terror alert.
During his trial, Verma’s lawyer supported his client’s claim that it was simply a joke gone wrong, according to The Telegraph.
“Aditya didn’t put his message on Facebook or advertise it,” the lawyer said. “What he did was the equivalent of making a joke inside a car with friends.
“This boy was 18 years old and was beginning a holiday which was a reward for his school excellence. When he and his friends landed in Menorca, they realised they were in a nightmare.”
The court ultimately chose not to pursue a terrorism charge or jail time for Verma.
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