http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13102490

He's done time before when he was 17 IIRC, and let's be honest, it might be his sort of place

That's the kind of silly thing you say to friends. It should never have gotten this far.

Maybe it might be more horrible to Fry if he were sent to a women's prison!

I could see the joke. Even after the police raided his home and found absolutely no facilities to carry out his threat they should have realised it was a joke. Personally once the fact that it was seen it was as wholy impossible for him to carry out such a threat it should have droped the case. The public prosecutor who pushed this case should pay for this personally. The police state is approaching and we need to stop this ridiculous case going any further.

This did go too far. It's obvious he wasn't giving out a genuine actual threat to anyone with an ounce of common sense.

It wasn't funny though. As in the 'joke'.

Was it a stupid thing to say - Yes
Should he have done it - No

Although the authorities have an obligation to take terrorist threats seriously they also need to apply a modicum of common sense.
Twitter is viewed by many as roughly equivalent to having a bit of banter with mates down the pub. I could understand them going off the deep end if the guy had phoned up the airport and made the threat, done so at the check in desk or e-mailed security directly but he didn't. It was a throw away comment borne of frustration made in the heat of the moment and should have been viewed as such.

Sadly, the authorities are unlikely to back down because they'd have to admit they were wrong.

More likely the weight of the state all to protect an incompetant government employee.