Man jailed for shouting 'Allahu Akbar' and 'boom' on plane

UK: A 38 year old plane passenger, Shehraz Sarwar from Pakistan has been sentenced to 10 weeks in prison for shouting 'Allahu Akbar' and 'boom' aboard a Birmingham bound flight from Dubai which left plane passengers in panic and tears on February 1.

Shehraz Sarwar weird behavior comes after the plane from Dubai hit rough skies on during its landing.

A Birmingham Crown Court, jailed Sarwar for ten weeks after he admitted to using threatening words and behaviour. 

The court also heard accounts from some of the 347 passengers who were left in tears after becoming frightened by his chanting aboard the plane.

Prosecuting counsel, Alex Warren said Sarwar had caused difficulties from the beginning of the flight when he, twice refuse to put his seat belt on before take-off and throwing food around the cabin.

He said: 

“There was terrible turbulence during the flight and some passengers were very frightened.

“Sarwar started chanting Allahu Akbar repeatedly and very loudly. People were getting very distressed with his behaviour.

“When the plane finally landed, he shouted ‘boom’.

“It left some passengers in tears while one man angrily confronted Sarwar before being told to sit down by cabin staff.

“Police were then called and Sarwar was arrested.”

Alex Warren added that Sarwar had previous convictions for dishonesty and violence in the past.

Defending counsel Balbir Singh, said Sarwar had been upset after attending his grandmother’s funeral in Pakistan.

He added:

 “There was considerable turbulence. One of the cabin crew, with 14 years experience, said it was the worse landing she had ever experienced.

“Mr Sarwar was scared during the flight. He prayed, chanting Allahu Akbar, which translates as “God is great”. When the plane landed he did shout out ‘boom’.

“It was a very foolish thing to do and he can’t really explain why he said it. It was the height of foolishness.

“He is very sorry for his actions and realises what distress this caused to other passengers.”

During his judgement, Judge Francis Laird QC told Sarwar: 

“Set in the context of the current political situation, chanting Allahu Akbar over and over again while on a plane had a frightening affect on some of the passengers and reduced some to tears.

“You misbehaved and you were arrogant onboard. Incidents such as these on planes are taken very seriously by the courts and due to the circumstances I have no alternative but to send you to prison for 10 weeks.”

Sarwar was also told he would be placed on licence with a 12 month supervision order when he regain freedom.