Defendant says bomb claim was 'a joke'

A Briton, who caused panic on an Emirates flight after claiming he had a bomb, tells a court in Dubai he was joking.

DUBAI // A 37-year-old Briton who caused panic on an Emirates Airlines flight from Manchester to Dubai, when he claimed to have a bomb that was about to go off, tried to explain his actions today by telling a court he suffered from anxiety and panic attacks which are exacerbated by alcohol. "It was a joke," the man, identified as M W, told the Dubai Criminal Court of First Instance, asking for a verdict to be given as soon as possible. The defendant pleaded not guilty to attacking a civilian airliner and also denied assaulting a flight attendant, but admitted he had been drinking. If convicted the defendant could face between six months and two years in jail, according to a lawyer, Jassim al Naqbi. A ruling in the case will be issued on Wednesday. "I was drunk, I did not know what I was doing," said M W. "I did not assault a flight attendant, I assaulted passengers but in self-defence only after they assaulted me." The defendant said he was forbidden by doctors from drinking while travelling by air because alcohol aggravated his medical condition. Court documents revealed that on board the flight on July 8, he was seen grasping a mobile phone in each hand and pressing buttons randomly, muttering "this bomb will go off in seven minutes". Witnesses reported that passengers scuffled with the defendant, who was finally restrained, and the aircraft landed safely in Dubai. M W was alleged to have aimed racist slurs at several Chinese and Indian passengers. @email:[e-mail]