'Allahu Akbar' lands a Pakistani man in jail

Image
ANI Islamabad
Last Updated : Jul 04 2016 | 3:32 PM IST

Pakistani national Shehraz Sarwar, who chanted 'Allahu Akbar' during turbulence on a Birmingham-bound Emirates flight earlier this year, has been jailed.

38-year-old Sarwar was arrested for using threatening words, throwing food and towels around causing uproar in the aircraft as the people feared a terrorist attack.

He has now been jailed for ten weeks at Birmingham Crown Court, reports the Express Tribune.

Sarwar had earlier during takeoff refused to fasten his seat belt.

As the pilot lined the plane up to land, he became aggressive. Moreover, it is reported that there was also severe turbulence on the plane at the same time.

Prosecutor Patrick Sullivan said that Sarwar's behaviour before these words was obnoxious. Though he fell asleep for about three quarters of the flight, but when he woke up he threw a towel back at a member of the staff who had offered him one.

Sullivan added that Sarwar also was also hitting his head with his hand and the people were distressed and upset by his behavior.

As Sarwar, a resident of Birmingham, pleaded guilty to the charges, his lawyer, Balbir Singh, said that he had been affected by the death of his grandmother and hadn't taken his medication.

Meanwhile, a passenger said they thought that Sarwar was going to set off a bomb aboard the flight.

*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Jul 04 2016 | 3:22 PM IST

Next Story