This is the Snapchat message that got a UK student in hot water: “I’m a Taliban member.”

Aditya Verma, an economics student at Bath University in the UK, is on trial in Spain over a lighthearted Snapchat message he sent to his pals. When the event happened in July 2022, Verma and his companions were visiting the island of Menorca. He made light of his membership in the Taliban and joked about blowing up the jet in the text.

The communication was caught by the airport’s Wi-Fi network, and the UK security agencies notified the Spanish authorities of it.

The Spanish Air Force responded by sending out two F-18 planes to accompany the aircraft until it made landfall in Menorca. After a careful examination of the easyJet aircraft, Verma—who was eighteen at the time—was taken into custody. After being held by the police for two days, he was freed on bond.

The British intelligence services MI5 and MI6 questioned him when he returned to the UK by plane.

The kid told the judge that the message was meant to be humorous. Verma told the court, “It was just sent to my friends I was travelling with on the day,” according to the BBC. He went on, “My appearance has been made fun of since school. The only purpose was to make people laugh.

“The Russia-Ukraine war was happening so I thought it was a military exercise related to [that] conflict,” he said in response to a question about his feelings about the fighter planes accompanying the trip.

The court’s decision will be made within the following several days. Although Verma is not charged with terrorism, he may still face a punishment of up to €22,500 (more than ₹20 lakh) if proven guilty. In order to pay costs, the Spanish Ministry of Defense is also requesting €95,000, or more than ₹80 lakh.