Monday, Feb 10, 2014
Dubai: A man claimed in court on Monday that he was very drunk and unaware of what he told the authorities when he triggered a bomb scare at Dubai International Airport. The 36-year-old Indian defendant admitted before the Dubai Misdemeanours Court that he was extremely drunk when he claimed to the authorities that he was a Pakistani and alleged a hidden bomb was about to go off at the airport in December 2013.
“I am guilty… I called Dubai Police and falsely told them that there was a bomb,” the defendant, S.S., told the presiding judge.
Prosecutors charged the defendant with drinking liquor and falsely reporting to the authorities that a bomb would go off at the airport.
“Why did you trigger the bomb scare then?” the judge asked the defendant.
“I was under the influence of alcohol and do not remember what I said,” replied S.S.
Towards the end of Monday’s hearing the court sentenced S.S. to one month in jail for the false alarm and Dh2,000 for drinking alcohol.
Records said the accused arrived in Dubai on December 3 and stayed at a hotel where he drank alcohol.
Police reports said when S.S. got drunk he used the landline in his room to dial 999 (Dubai Police’s Operations Room) claiming he was a Pakistani. Then he claimed that a bomb was hidden in a secret area at the airport and would explode soon. Court records said the defendant did not place any request at the time of triggering the bomb scare. Police traced the phone number and immediately arrested S.S.
During police and prosecution questioning, S.S. admitted that there was no bomb at the airport and that his claims were unfounded.
There was no mention why the defendant falsely claimed he was from Pakistan.
Monday’s ruling remains subject to appeal within 15 days.
By Bassam Zaza Legal and Court Correspondent
Gulf News 2014. All rights reserved.
