A Sacramento man is facing federal charges after TSA officers caught him attempting to board an American Airlines flight with a functional explosive device in his carry-on bag — one that authorities say could have caused a loss of cabin pressure if detonated at altitude.
Kimani Osayande Jones, 49, was stopped at a TSA checkpoint at Sacramento International Airport on May 30 around 9 p.m. while attempting to board American Airlines flight 2464. He was wearing a face-covering scarf and latex gloves. Inside his bag: an M-type explosive device with a viable powder and fuse, a torch lighter, a knife, scissors, an aerosol can, zip ties, and five cellphones — one displaying a 15-minute timer ready to start.
Sacramento County Sheriff bomb technicians and an FBI bomb technician safely removed the device. Post-examination confirmed both the powder and fuse were live and functional.
Jones was indicted on three federal counts: attempting to place a destructive device on an aircraft, unlawfully possessing explosive material in an airport, and attempting to carry a dangerous weapon onto an aircraft. Combined maximum exposure is 35 years in federal prison.
Why It Matters: This is exactly the scenario airport security exists to prevent — and in this case it worked. For frequent travelers who sometimes grumble about TSA screening, this is a reminder of why those checkpoints exist.
Source: TSA.gov
