Busted in bid to bomb sculpture

A 25-YEAR-OLD man was arrested for allegedly trying to blow up a Confederate statue in a Houston park, federal prosecutors said Monday.

A park ranger caught Andrew Schneck kneeling in front of a statue of Gen. Richard Dowling at Hermann Park Saturday. He was carrying two small boxes that contained duct tape, a timer and wires, according to the criminal complaint.

Schneck was also carrying a plastic bottle with liquid and a small tube of compounds, which turned out to be nitroglycerin and hexamethylene triperoxide diamine, both powerful explosives, the complaint said.

His arrest came amid nationwide controversy over the removal of Confederate statues.

Schneck was charged with attempting to maliciously damage or destroy property receiving federal financial assistance.

If convicted, he faces five to 40 years in federal prison with a possible $250,000 fine.

In 2014, he pleaded guilty to improperly storing explosives and received five years’ probation.