French Jew calls in hoax bomb threat to delay his flight

Israel National News

An airline passenger made an anonymous hoax bomb threat to delay his flight because he was running late.

Librarian Jacob Meir Abdellak called police just eight minutes before the plane was due to set off from London’s Gatwick Airport to Los Angeles in the US.

Officials were forced to postpone take-off for 90 minutes to carry out a full security screening.

The Frenchman was arrested when he returned eleven days later on 22 May to catch another flight to the US.

Investigators had discovered the phone number used to make the bomb threat was the same one used to make the flight booking with Norwegian Airlines.

He admitted it was his number but claimed he had lost the SIM card a few days before the hoax call was made.

Abdellak, of Amhurst Park, Hackney, was charged with communicating false information regarding a noxious substance likely to create serious risk to human health.

He denied the offence until the day of his trial at Lewes Crown Court on Tuesday, when he changed his plea to guilty.

Abdellak was jailed for 10 months and ordered to pay a £140 victim surcharge.