Venezuelan man admits smuggling grenade onto British Airways flight

Airline Industry Information, April 6, 2005

AIRLINE INDUSTRY INFORMATION-(C)1997-2005 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

A Venezuelan man has admitted smuggling a grenade onto an aircraft bound for Britain, saying that he intended to blow himself up to highlight humanitarian causes.

Customs officers at London's Gatwick airport discovered the grenade during an X-ray check in February 2003 after the man had arrived on a British Airways flight from Caracas.

The 39-year-old, a devout Muslim, reportedly had no links to militant groups and his grenade had been disarmed. At first he was charged under anti-terrorist laws but the prosecution said it now accepted that he had acted as a result of depression caused by personal problems.

Sentencing has been adjourned until 20 May, reported Reuters.

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