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A FloridaA college student is in custody after officials claim she referenced a foreign leader in a disturbing message, causing fear among peers and prompting an immediate police reaction.

Gabriela Saldana, 23, a Florida International University student, was taken into custody following claims that she shared a number of concerning messages within a significant WhatsApp group associated with a university-related event.

The communications, directed to a group of approximately 200 students talking about an upcoming event at the school’s Ocean Bank Convocation Center, immediately raised concerns.

In a single post, Saldana seemed to allude to the Israeli Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu“Netanyahu, if you can hear me, throw some candies for us Capstone students at the Ocean Bank Convocation Center,” as stated in an arrest report.

Experts understood the term “bonbons” to be a reference to explosives.

As per police evidence presented in court, Saldana also stated: ‘A bomb will be placed in the Ocean Bank Convocation Center, and it will be Jonathan’s responsibility,’ mentioning another student in the conversation.

The remarks, shared in the hours before the scheduled gathering, were noted by other students who did not view them as humorous, leading to an immediate inquiry by university authorities.

Saldana, who once served as an intern at Microsoft, was arrested close to the university’s central campus and subsequently appeared in bond court, where the gravity of the circumstances became clear.

Testifying before Judge Mindy S. Glazer, Saldana admitted to the messages, stating to officials: ‘I composed a foolish joke that shouldn’t have been shared.’

However, the court was not convinced that the explanation reduced the possible danger.

“I can grasp where you’re coming from when you claim this is a joke,” Judge Glazer mentioned during the court session.

But to someone impartial, it’s not a joke, and it would suffice for probable cause. I’m not claiming it’s enough for proof beyond a reasonable doubt. I’m unsure if the state will be able to establish it in court, but for the purposes of this hearing, I think there is sufficient evidence for probable cause.

Prosecutors accused Saldana of issuing written threats to kill or cause physical injury. The judge did not establish sufficient evidence for an extra charge involving bias. Her bail was set at $5,000.

In a statement, Florida International University verified the arrest and described the incident as a significant danger.

‘A student from FIU has been taken into custody for issuing a serious and immediate threat of violence at a scheduled university event,’ the institution stated.

The inquiry revealed that the suspect selected a particular date, time, and location. Due to the active investigation and federal student privacy regulations, FIU has no additional statements. There is no ongoing risk to the university community.

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