A Dubai court charged a British man on Wednesday with creeping into the world's tallest building under cover of darkness and parachuting off the 150th floor without consent, in an effort to set a new world record.His lawyers say he faces up to a year in jail or a 5,000 dirham (690 pound) fine if convicted of trespass and jumping off the building without the permission of the owner, the United Arab Emirates' biggest developer Emaar Properties.
"The Burj Dubai is the world's tallest building and is a marvel of the world. I wanted to honour it, Emaar and Dubai by jumping safely from it," the man told the local 7 DAYS tabloid. "I'm a sportsman, not a criminal."
BASE jumping -- the acronym stands for Building, Antenna, Span, Earth -- is a dangerous sport in which individuals parachute off fixed objects such as tall buildings.
Full article: Briton Leaps off Tallest Tower and Lands in Dubai Court, Reuters, 28 May 2008.
Burj Dubai Official Web Site
Dr Geoff Pound
Image: Burj Dubai
