A Pennsylvania man was arrested and faces federal charges after an explosive device was found in a suitcase that was to be loaded on a plane at an airport Monday, officials said.
The FBI arrested Marc Muffley, 40, at his home in Lansford on Monday night, hours after the incident at Lehigh Valley International Airport, the FBI said.
He allegedly checked a rolling suitcase at the Allegiant airline desk Monday morning.
Inside was what the Transportation Security Administration called a live explosive device — described by the FBI in court documents as a circular compound wrapped in wax paper and plastic wrap, hidden inside the lining of the suitcase.
It contained a powder “suspected to be a mixture of flash powder and the dark granulars that are used in commercial grade fireworks,” and attached to the compound were two fuses, the FBI said in an affidavit attached to a criminal complaint.
The criminal complaint and FBI affidavit do not shed any light on why the explosives were in the suitcase.
The FBI said in the affidavit that Muffley is seen on security cameras getting dropped off at the airport around 10:45 a.m.
At 11:40 a.m., after the material was found in the suitcase, the airport paged Muffley and instructed him to go to the security desk, FBI Special Agent Eddie Garcia wrote in the affidavit.
At 11:45 a.m., Muffley is seen on camera leaving the airport, the document says.
Muffley was in custody Wednesday and a probable cause and detention hearing were scheduled for Thursday, the FBI said.
It was not clear if Muffley had an attorney who could speak on his behalf. Phone numbers associated with him in public records were not in service Wednesday night.
A criminal complaint lists charges of possession of an explosive in an airport; and possessing, or attempting to place, or attempting to have placed, an explosive or incendiary device on an aircraft.
The TSA said in a statement that the device was found during routine screening of checked baggage.
The suitcase…
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