HASSAN MALL
I do not think you can go very much further with that kind of argument, acting under authority. This is hardly a case where these people were his superiors and he had to carry out an order by his superiors on pain of some punishment.  He was one amongst five equals.  Do you understand?  He was as excited or keen about it as any of them were.   So I think to say he acted on the orders of a group of five is pushing it too far.