A man in his 40s who tried to bring explosives to a passenger plane at an airport in Pennsylvania has been arrested by the FBI.
According to AFP on the 1st (local time), the FBI issued a statement that day and said that it had arrested and detained 40-year-old Mark Muffley (40) as a suspect in the case of carrying explosives at Lehigh Valley International Airport in Pennsylvania on the 27th of last month.
The person who discovered the explosives at the time was a US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employee. During his usual baggage check, the baggage checker alarm went off, and he found a suspected bomb in Muffley’s bag.
When explosives were discovered, TSA closed parts of the airport to prevent damage. TSA spokeswoman Lisa Pavstein said the FBI and experts determined that the item in the bag was an actual explosive.
Local media reported that “the explosive is in the form of a powder wrapped in plastic wrap, and a fuse is hidden in the lining.”
In addition to the explosives, one butane gas, two electrical outlets secured with tape, and one pipe covered with white powder were also found in his bag. Experts believe that a substance used in making commercial firecrackers was used in the crime.
An FBI insider told ABC News, “The explosive in question contained a combustible material and a detonator, but was not sophisticated enough to be detonated on board.”
Muffley was scheduled to arrive at Sanford International Airport in Orlando, Florida, on Flight 201 of American low-cost airline Allegiant Air that day. He left the airport after being investigated by the airport security desk, and was arrested by FBI agents at his home in Lansford, Pennsylvania on the same day and detained in a detention center.
The FBI is currently investigating the exact circumstances of the incident, including the motive for the crime against Muffley.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.