Mallorca courts: Threats to kill tourists and police at the airport

Tourists arriving at Palma Airport in Mallorca and threatening tweets

Tourists were warned of a "terrorist scenario". | Emilio Queirolo

Andrew EdePalma04/02/2024 09:05

In April 2017, a Twitter user with some 85,000 followers, identified as V.R.S., posted tweets threatening to kill tourists and police at Palma Son Sant Joan Airport.

At 5.20pm on April 18 he posted: "I am at the airport with my people and a gun, if we see the police we will use lethal force." One hour and twenty-five minutes later, there was another tweet directed at a "dear European". This warned of a "very tense situation" at the airport in Mallorca - "a terrorist attack scenario".

More tweets along similar lines followed over the next 24 hours; there were dozens of them. Many of his followers alerted the National Police, who initiated an investigation.

Some months later, the 42-year-old Spaniard was traced to his home in El Molinar, Palma. He was charged and a court issued a restraining order banning him from going to the airport and its surroundings.

The case is now finally coming to trial. The Prosecutor's Office is seeking a two-year prison sentence. He had intended to "frighten and intimidate" tourists and police.

He is said to be suffering from chronic delusional disorder. The Prosecutor's Office is considering the possibility of the sentence being served at a psychiatric unit.