If there's one thing passengers should never bring to an airport or talk about in any way, it's explosives. For those looking for an immediate arrest and a go straight-to-jail card, this is a good strategy. For one Pennsylvania man, taking this unlawful risk saw him arrested as he tried to bring an explosive device onboard a flight.
Suspicions raised from a sudden alert
The incident happened at Lehigh Valley International Airport on March 1st. During a routine screening of checked baggage, an alarm alerted Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents to a suspicious piece of luggage belonging to a 40-year-old Pennsylvanian passenger.
The man had checked his baggage for Allegiant Air flight G4 201 bound for Orlando Sanford International Airport. As the alarm had gone off, a search into the baggage's contents was undertaken where TSA agents found a circular compound wrapped in wax-like paper and clear plastic wrap.
The carefully wrapped compound was found hidden in the lining of the baggage. Besides finding the concealed item, TSA agents also noticed the remaining contents of the luggage included a can of butane, a pipe with white powder residue, a lighter, two ground fault circuit interrupter outlets, and a cordless drill with batteries.
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Confirmation of an explosive device
From the TSA agents' perspective, the suspicious circumstances of hiding the compound in the baggage lining along the other contents of the bag led them to believe it was possibly a live explosive device.
A bomb technician was called in to assess the situation appropriately. Upon further examination, it was concluded that the wrapped compound was indeed an explosive device and that two fuses were also attached to it. The device was found to contain a concealed powder that was consistent with those used in commercial-grade fireworks, meaning it was susceptible to ignition from heat and friction.
TSA agents paged the passenger via airport intercom to report to the airport's security desk. However, despite numerous pages, he never showed up. Security cameras showed the passenger leaving the airport minutes after he was paged.
Arrested without resistance
Out of an abundance of caution, the immediate area of Lehigh Valley International Airport was evacuated, and part of its main terminal was briefly closed. The Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) were also notified. TSA Federal Security Director Karen Keys-Turner said:
"Transportation Security Officers are highly trained and highly skilled professionals at the front line of aviation security who focus on their mission and catches. This is an example of how the strong partnerships we have established came together to ensure the safety and security of the traveling public. I commend our entire TSA team at Lehigh Valley International Airport and how this incident was handled professionally."
Although the passenger had left the airport minutes after being paged, he was arrested by the FBI at his residence later that evening and did not show any resistance. The passenger was charged with the possession of an explosive in an airport and possessing or attempting to place an explosive on an aircraft.
The person was shown to have had run-ins with the law before, albeit for more minor charges like retail theft, drug arrests, and minor misdemeanors. While it's unclear what made the passenger escalate to explosives, he remains in custody with a probable cause hearing and a detention bail hearing set to be held later today.
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Bottom line
Regardless of what the passenger's reason or state of mind was, it's still fortunate that the TSA managed to intercept and prevent the explosive from embarking on any aircraft, saving the lives of hundreds of passengers and crew members.
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Allegiant Air
- IATA/ICAO Code:
- G4/AAY
- Airline Type:
- Ultra-Low-Cost Carrier
- Year Founded:
- 1997
- CEO:
- John Redmond
- Country:
- United States
- Region:
- North America
