A Bangladeshi defrauded another man and then called the police claiming the man was going to bomb the US and British embassies, a court heard yesterday.

Eakramul Hasan yesterday admitted to telling fellow Bangladeshi Abdul Ghani Shah that he would be able to get him a visa against a payment of €2,000. The latter was led to believe that Mr Hasan had contacts on the island and would be able to sort something out.

Sometime after receiving the money, however, Mr Hasan phoned The Times newsroom to say that within a day or two there would be bombs placed at the two embassies.

Calling from a payphone, Mr Eakrumel gave details of the attack and the names and addresses of the alleged attacker - whom he named as Mr Shah.

He then rang up the police control room and gave them similar details, he told the court.

Mr Hasan was charged with defrauding Mr Shah and making a false police report. He opted to plead guilty during the third sitting.

Magistrate Miriam Hayman said there was no reason for her not to accept his guilty plea and, taking into consideration his clean police record, she handed down a two-year jail term suspended for four years.

Police Inspectors Ivan Cilia and Angelo Caruana prosecuted.

Lawyers José Herrera and Noel Bianco appeared for Mr Hasan.