Finland’s appeals court upholds two-year prison sentence for man who threatened bus passengers with grenade

The Turku Court of Appeal has largely upheld a lower court’s ruling against a man who threatened passengers with what appeared to be a live hand grenade during a 2023 bus hijacking in Raisio, southwest Finland, Yle reports.

The 56-year-old man, born in 1968, was previously sentenced to two years in prison by Rauma District Court for aggravated deprivation of liberty and filing a false alarm after boarding a city bus in Raisio in October 2023. He carried an object resembling a real hand grenade, later confirmed to be deactivated, and removed its pin in full view of the driver and roughly 20 passengers.

Demanding that no one exit the vehicle, the man threatened to detonate the device if the doors were opened. The bus driver stopped the vehicle and opened the doors, allowing passengers to flee.

The defendant had appealed, arguing that his conviction for aggravated deprivation of liberty should be reduced to an attempt, with the prison term made conditional. He claimed the act was unplanned and brief, denying any genuine threat of violence. He also sought to reduce compensation payments ordered by the lower court.

Prosecutors had likewise appealed, pushing for an additional conviction for hostage-taking, citing the man’s alleged political motives related to the situation in Palestine and Gaza. However, the appeals court found insufficient evidence to prove hostage-taking intent, as his objectives remained unclear.

The court maintained the two-year sentence but waived compensation for one claimant who failed to provide documentation. Known as Ahmad Hani Abbas, the man was originally ordered to pay nearly €30,000 in damages to multiple victims. The ruling is not yet final.