Tarik Z, the 20-year-old science student who forced his way into the Nos television studios with a fake gun at the end of January was jailed for 2.5 years, half suspended, on Friday.

The public prosecution office had asked for a 4-year jail term, one suspended.

Z forced his way into the Nos studios armed with a fake gun and took a security guard hostage. The youth, who gave himself up when ordered to by police, had demanded access to airtime on the 20.00 hours news bulletin.

The Nos studios were evacuated for several hours as police searched the building after the youngster was overpowered. The actual incident lasted around 10 minutes.

During a procedural hearing in May, Z said he wanted the airtime to warn the population about ‘the foundations of the current monetary system’ and about ‘large-scale manipulation by the Nos’.