An Egyptian tourist who jokingly claimed that there was a bomb in his luggage has been arrested at Velana International Airport (VIA), with the Criminal Court ordering that he be remanded in custody for five days.
The man arrested in connection with the case has been identified as 38-year-old Egyptian national Peter Saman Marzouk Saman.
According to the remand order, he is accused of making a threat and providing false information.
Under the Maldives Penal Code and the law prohibiting threats and the possession of dangerous weapons and sharp objects, making threats and spreading false information constitute criminal offences. Under Article 4 of the law prohibiting threats and the possession of dangerous weapons and sharp objects, threatening another person with death or serious bodily harm is a serious offence punishable by imprisonment for a period ranging from six months to 18 months.
In addition, Article 120 of the Penal Code defines a “threat” as threatening to cause harm to another person, which is a criminal offence for which a punishment is prescribed. Providing false information or spreading false news is also an offence under Article 520 of the Penal Code when false information is given to a government authority or to a person carrying out an official duty.
According to the remand order, airport officials were conducting an additional inspection of the passenger’s luggage at Velana International Airport when he allegedly said that there was a bomb inside the bag. This was recorded in an incident report by the Aviation Security Command as well as in the police incident report.
During the remand hearing, the man told the court that he had only made the statement as a joke and asked for forgiveness. However, the court noted that making such a joke at a highly secured location such as an airport cannot be taken lightly. The court also said there was a risk that, if released, he could flee the country, and that he should therefore remain in custody in the interest of public safety.
The Maldives Police Service is continuing its investigation into the case.
