Bellingham (US), May 24: FBI agents have arrested a man at an airport near the Canadian border, saying he showed security screeners two pocket knives he was carrying and had packed a small bomb in his luggage.
Authorities said it did not appear that Ricky Reed, 43, had any plans to damage a plane.
When asked about his pocket knives at Bellingham International Airport, he told screeners, "What's the matter, do you think I'm going to hijack the plane or something?" Sheriff's deputy Jeff Parks said.
Authorities described the device as a "seal bomb," equivalent to about one-quarter stick of dynamite, which fishermen use to scare seals away from fishing grounds. Investigators said the bomb was powerful enough to bring down an airplane.
Reed was charged with one count of attempting to carry a concealed weapon on an aircraft and one count of attempting to place a bomb on board an aircraft, said John Hartingh, a spokesman for the US attorney's office.



He was assigned a lawyer and released until his next court appearance, scheduled for June 14.


Bureau Report