A former British chess prodigy has admitted in court that he told his friends before flying to Spain: “I'm going to blow up the plane.” “I'm a member of the Taliban.”
But Aditya Verma insisted in court today that he had been joking with his friends in a private Snapchat group before being dragged off the plane.
The 20-year-old student said he had “no intention” of mobilizing the two Spanish fighter jets that were supposed to accompany the crowded EasyJet plane in which he and 140 other holidaymakers were approaching Menorca, along with police and firefighters on the ground.
Indian-born Aditya was 18 when he was arrested on July 3, 2022, after landing on the island for a post-baccalaureate holiday after graduating from St Olave's Grammar School in Orpington, Kent.
He told the Audiencia Nacional court in Madrid: “Because of my facial features, I was called Taliban at school and I always joked about it, and I know that the Taliban is considered a terrorist group.”
Aditya Verma, a former British chess prodigy, has admitted in court that before flying to Spain he told his friends: “I'm on my way to blow up the plane.” I'm a member of the Taliban.
Aditya Verma insisted in court today (pictured) that he was joking with his friends in a private Snapchat group
Verma first appeared in court on July 5, 2022 in a closed-door hearing
A Spanish F-18 fighter jet, seen through the aircraft window, escorts an Easyjet flight en route from London to the Spanish holiday island of Menorca after Verma made a false bomb threat on July 3, 2022
“But I didn’t think it would scare passengers because it was sent to a private friend group and wasn’t intended for them.”
Aditya, who has represented England at several international chess tournaments and once met legendary player Gary Kasparov, was summoned to court today.
This came after he was accused of violating public order following a lengthy investigation behind closed doors.
Armed police dragged Aditya in handcuffs from the EasyJet plane as it landed on the island in 2022, and he spent two nights in police custody before appearing before a judge in Mahon.
He was released on £8,600 bail and told he could leave Spain but would remain under investigation by the Audiencia Nacional.
Last week it emerged that Spanish prosecutors wanted him to pay €94,782.47 (£81,251) towards the cost of scrapping a Eurofighter military aircraft and a €22,500 (£19,288) fine if he was found guilty became.
Aditya spoke from the dock through a translator and agreed to be questioned by prosecutor Pedro Rubira and his defense attorney.
He admitted sending a picture containing his “bomb joke” and a Taliban comment from a check-in desk at Gatwick Airport. Experts who analyzed his phone told the court it was shared in a Snapchat group with six other users at 9.47am on the day of his arrest and showed him wearing a hat and sunglasses.
Aditya, who is currently studying economics at the University of Bath, confessed under cross-examination: “In the message I sent with the photo before we boarded, I said, 'On the way to blow up the plane.' I am a member of the Taliban.
“It was a joke in a private group that was sent to friends that I had known mostly for eight, nine, 10 years and I was fooling around with that day.”
Asked by his defense lawyer Margarita Quintana what he thought when he saw two military jets near his Easyjet plane, even though only one aircraft was mentioned in the indictment before the trial, Aditya replied: “Shortly before that time, the war between Ukraine and Russia.” I thought it was a military exercise related to this conflict.
“The pilot said the jets were dispatched because he accidentally sent a distress signal due to a communications error and the issue was being resolved.”
Last week it was revealed that Spanish prosecutors wanted Aditya to pay €94,782.47 (£81,251) towards the cost of scrapping a Eurofighter military aircraft and a €22,500 (£19,288) fine if found guilty
Aditya, who has represented England at several international chess tournaments and once met legendary player Gary Kasparov, was summoned to court today
The chess prodigy (pictured) has won national championships and even came fourth at the World Youth Championship
“My friends and I were detained when we landed and locked in a room for a few hours. Afterwards I was told that I would be arrested and taken to a police station.”
The court heard that the warning that led to the mobilization of Spanish fighter jets came from British intelligence services.
It was not made clear how they obtained the information, although a friend of Aditya said the information – including the photo – could have been obtained from Gatwick Airport's WiFi servers, which one of the friends in the Snapchat group was using.
One of the three analysts who testified, who was not named and referred to only by a reference number, said he had not discovered any links to terrorist groups on Aditya's phone.
He suggested that one of the seven members of the Snapchat group could have published the “bombshell joke” and image by sharing it with others.
But Aditya's friend, who was on the same flight to Menorca and gave his name as Akash Raf in court, insisted: “If someone had taken a screenshot or shared the photo with someone outside the group, we would all have a message on our phone received 'phones and we didn't get anything.'
He added, “I have known Aditya for years. It was just a light-hearted joke in a friend group. I know he's not a Taliban.'
The prosecutor announced in his closing speech at the end of the 90-minute trial that the investigation triggered by the defendant's “hoax” had concluded that he was not a “dangerous terrorist activist.”
But he alleged that Aditya, whose parents Anand and Dipti Prasad accompanied him to the court, was guilty of a “simulation” that became public and created danger that would have left people in panic if he publicly used the words he used would have expressed street.
He said it was up to the court to decide whether the defendant's “bad joke” was made public legally or illegally.
The Briton's defense lawyer said in her emotional closing speech that Aditya's comments in a “private group” were made public without judicial authorization and that if anyone should be held responsible for the cost of Spain's response, it would be the British authorities for “breach.” should be entitled to privacy.'
She added, “Aditya didn't post or promote his message on Facebook.” What he did was like cracking a joke with friends in the car.
The EastJet aircraft is seen from the tarmac in 2022
“Who has the authority to intervene in a joke?” If we as individuals are prevented from enjoying freedom of speech and the right to privacy, what else are we left with?
“This is not a criminal offense.” There was no malicious intent. “This boy was 18 years old and was on vacation, which was a reward for his academic achievements, and when he and his friends arrived in Menorca, they realized that they were in a nightmare.”
Aditya was given the opportunity to make a final address to the court before Judge Jose Manuel Fernandez-Prieto retired to deliberate on his verdict, which he will release in writing at an unspecified later date, saying: “It never was the intent to cause harm or suffering or to mobilize the public.” Services.
“It wasn't a pre-planned message.” “I just wanted to go to Spain with my friends to enjoy the beautiful weather and experience Spanish football and nightlife.”
Verma told Mail Online exclusively while back home in Orpington with his parents Anand and Dipti Prasad: “It was a moment of madness that I regret and I'm so sorry for the trouble I caused.” It was a joke and I didn't mean it.
“I'm sorry for ruining my friends' vacation, but it was all just a joke and I didn't want to scare anyone on the plane if they were afraid of what had happened.”
“I sent the Snapchat message to my friends as we boarded. It was a joke as we had said who would be stopped and searched by security.
“The message said, 'I'm going to blow up this plane.' “I’m a Taliban,” and now I just wish I hadn’t sent it.
“It was a stupid thing, but I thought since it was a private Snapchat only my friends would see it.”