Terror alert hoaxer jailed
15.05.08
A man from Northern Ireland who sparked a major terror alert at Heathrow and Stansted airports when he made a hoax bomb warning on the day of the 7/7 attacks in London, has been jailed for four months.
Shortly after four bombs exploded in London, killing more than 50 people and injuring 700, Stephen McEntee, 29, used his own mobile phone to call the newsroom of ITN in London and claim that Semtex bombs had been placed at the airports. A full scale terror alert was ordered at the airports, which were already on a state of high alert following the morning rush-hour attack.
Nothing was found during extensive searches and several days later police investigations led them to Mr McEntee's Irish Street home in Downpatrick where he was arrested and charged with making the hoax bomb call. The following day admitted making the call and said he did it as a bet with friends.
Magistrate, Mr Eamon King, jailed Mr McEntee for 4 months telling him: ‘Anybody who, in this day and age, makes a hoax telephone call to an airport can only expect a custodial sentence.’
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