US: Man arrested after screening detects explosives hidden in his suitcase at Pennsylvania airport

Authorities said on Wednesday (March 1) that a man was arrested at the Pennsylvania airport after he checked in a suitcase that had an explosive device hidden in its lining. The criminal complaint says that Marc Muffley, 40, was charged with possessing or attempting to place an explosive or incendiary device on an aircraft, the news agency AP reported.

Prosecutors alleged the material was found in the suitcase that Muffley checked in on Monday at the Lehigh Valley International Airport to Allegiant Air Flight 201 for a flight bound toFlorida. Authorities said whenthe explosivewas detected in his suitcase during screening, Muffley was paged over the airport's public address system but he did not report and security cameras caught him leaving the airport. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) arrested him from his residence on Monday night.

When the suitcase was examined during security screening,a circular compound about three inches in diameter encased in wax-like paper and clear plastic wrap wasfound hidden in its lining following which an alert was issued.

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A bomb technician from the FBI, who X-rayed the compound, said that it had a granular powder consistent with a commercial-grade firework and was suspected to be a mixture of flash powder and the dark granulars that are used in commercial-grade fireworks, the AP reported.

Attached to the compound were a quick fuse and a hobby fuse. The criminal complaint said the authorities concluded both the black powder and flash powder were susceptible to igniting from heat and friction and posed a significant risk to the aircraft and the passengers.

Authorities also said that Muffley's suitcase also contained a can of butane, a lighter, a pipe with white powder residue, a wireless drill with cordless batteries, and two GFCI outlets (a type of circuit breaker) taped together with black tape.

Bomb technicians determined the item was indeed a live explosive device, andout of an abundance of caution, the immediate area of airport was evacuated and the Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation were notified.

(With inputs from agencies)

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