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According to the FBI, a scary incident occurred involving a flight to Orlando that led to an evacuation. We have the story for you here.
Security Alert
According to the New York Times, a 40-year-old man was arrested this week on some pretty serious federal charges. Allegations suggest that he brought a suitcase containing explosive materials into Leigh-Valley International Airport in Pennsylvania. There, he checked this bag and the explosives for his flight to Orlando, Florida, a hotly popular tourist destination.
Like all luggage, this bag was subject to a TSA security screening. Something in the bag triggered an alarm, and the TSA flagged it during the screening process.
What was in the bag
The TSA reportedly found a circular device, measuring 3 inches in diameter, with fuses attached to it hidden inside the lining of the suitcase. The FBI, in turn, determined that it was an explosive device. The explosive contained commercial-grade firework powder and flash powder.
In addition to the device, the bag also held a can of butane, a lighter, a pipe with white powder residue, a wireless drill with cordless batteries, and two electrical outlets, held together with black electrical tape.
It has yet to be determined what the man intended to do with these items. However, according to the FBI, “both the black powder and the flash powder are susceptible to heat and friction and posed a significant threat to the aircraft and passengers.”
In an abundance of caution, officials made the decision to evacuate the section of the airport affected. It reopened around 2:00 PM This must have been scary for people traveling that day.
The FBI determined this explosive posed a threat to the Orlando-bound aircraft and passengers.
An Arrest
Officials paged the man with an announcement, directing him to report to security. However, security camera footage allegedly shows that instead of reporting to security, he exited the airport and called his girlfriend to pick him up. Officials tracked the suspect down and arrested him later that night.
He was charged with possession of an explosive in an airport and possessing or attempting to place an explosive or incendiary device on an aircraft.
This incident is not the man’s first run-in with the law. He has also had multiple previous charges including theft. Interestingly, his Public Defender stated that the current charges are overly severe. He referred to the explosive device as “just a firework” and maintained that it could not have been detonated remotely. However, according to the prosecution, what he had in his suitcase meets the federal definition of an explosive.
Lehigh Valley International Airport took to social media to thank everyone involved in handling this alarming situation. Here is the Tweet:
Thankfully, for everyone with seats on that plane to Orlando, Florida, the TSA discovered the explosives before the bag and passenger had a chance to board the aircraft. It is easy to imagine that there were a number of families with children aboard, as is typically the case with Orlando flights. Fortunately, none of the passengers had to face the potential threat of an explosive due to diligence on the part of the TSA.
What is your reaction to this scary situation involving a passenger’s attempt to bring explosives on an Orlando-bound flight? Let us know in the comments.
Source: New York Times
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