Passenger on Ryanair ‘had pipe bomb in hand luggage’
Free to fly later in police blunder
A MAN tried to take a “viable explosive device” on to a jet at Manchester, a court was told.
A MAN caught trying to smuggle a pipe bomb on to a passenger jet was free to fly again days later after police failed to realise his device was viable, a court heard.
Nadeem Muhammad, 43, tried to board a Ryanair flight to Bergamo, Italy, on January 30 but security at Manchester Airport found a device made from batteries, tape, a marker pen and pins in the lining of his small case.
Prosecutor Jonathan Sandiford said: “The only reason he would have for trying to get that device on to the aeroplane was to detonate it within the Boeing 737.”
When the bomb was swabbed there was no trace of explosives on the outside. Muhammad, who was born in Pakistan but had an Italian passport, was grilled but not arrested – and six days later boarded another jet to Italy.
Mr Sandiford said: “At that stage nobody had realised this was a real device.” On February 8, it was re-examined and the bomb squad was called. Expert Lorna Philp found it was a “crude but potentially viable improvised explosive device” and Muhammad was held upon his return.
Mr Sandiford said the defence is expected to argue that someone else put the device in his luggage.
Muhammad, from Bury, denies all charges. The Manchester crown court trial continues.