Pakistani man who shouted 'Allahu Akbar' on a flight jailed

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

The 38-year-old was arrested for allegedly 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, the Express Tribune reported.

During takeoff, Sarwar 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.

--ANI