A student of British-Indian descent is currently undergoing trial in Spain on charges of public disorder. The accusations stem from a Snapchat message in which the student made a joking reference about him being from the Taliban and blowing up a plane while travelling with friends. Accused Indian student Aditya Verma, an economics student at Bath University, is currently on bail in this case.
In July 2022, Aditya Verma, accompanied by his friends, was en route to the island of Menorca in Spain aboard an easyJet flight. Before departure, he sent a message to his friends on Snapchat. This message read, “On my way to blow up the plane (I’m a member of the Taliban).” UK security agencies detected Aditya Verma’s message on Gatwick’s Wi-Fi network and promptly alerted Spanish authorities while the easyJet plane was in flight.
In a Madrid court trial, Aditya Verma asserted that he had no intention of causing harm or distress to the public. The court learned that upon reading the threatening message, Spanish authorities scrambled two F-18 fighter jets, with one tailing the plane until its landing in Menorca, where an extensive search was conducted.
Aditya Verma was arrested and held in police custody for two days before being subsequently released on bail. He was 18 years old at the time of the incident. Following his arrest, the student was later interrogated by the British intelligence agencies MI5 and MI6 in the United Kingdom. Subsequently, he was sent back to his residence in Orpington, Kent.
During the course of the trial on Monday, Verma stated that the message was “a joke within a private group setting.” He clarified, “It was just sent to my friends I was travelling with on the day.” When asked about the reason for sending the message, he said, “Since school, it’s been a joke because of my features. It was just to make people laugh.”
When asked about the moment he observed the Spanish fighter jets accompanying his plane, Aditya Verma said he thought it was a military exercise linked to the Russia-Ukraine war.
Authorities informed the court that they conducted a search of Verma’s phone, revealing research on confrontations between India and Pakistan and the potential for an attack by the Islamic State terror group in that region. Nevertheless, officials found no discernible connection between Verma and jihadist radicalism.
The teenager is not confronting charges related to terrorism or imprisonment, but a potential fine of 22,500 euros (Rs 20.35 lakh) awaits if he is found guilty. Additionally, the Spanish Defence Ministry is seeking 95,000 euros (Rs 85.94 lakh) to cover expenses.
