Man hid explosive in suitcase at Pennsylvania airport, TSA says

ALLENTOWN, Pa. — A Pennsylvania man is accused of hiding an explosive in a suitcase on Monday as he prepared to board a flight for Florida, federal authorities said.

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According to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Mark Muffley, 40, of Lansford, was arrested Monday at his home and charged with possessing an explosive in an airport and possessing or attempting to place an explosive or incendiary device on an aircraft, The Morning Call reported.

Transportation Safety Administration employees at Lehigh Valley International Airport contacted the FBI after they found what they believed to be an explosive in Muffley’s rolling suitcase, according to the newspaper.

Muffley was taking an Allegiant Flight to Orlando Sanford International Airport in Central Florida, the Morning Call reported. He checked in at the airline desk at about 10:45 a.m. EST, WCAU-TV reported. After the TSA screened Muffley’s baggage at 11:40 a.m., an alarm sounded indicating that the suitcase contained suspicious items, according to an affidavit of probable cause.

TSA agents found a “circular device with a granular-type of powder” wrapped in paper and clear plastic wrap, along with a “quick fuse” in the lining of Muffley’s bag, according to court records.

The circular device was about 3 inches in diameter, WFTV reported.

An FBI bomb technician who X-rayed the device concluded that it contained powder consistent with a “commercial grade firework,” The Associated Press reported. Agents believed the compound to be “a mixture of flash powder” and the dark granular used for the fireworks, according to the news organization.

Muffley was paged and security cameras recorded him leaving the airport’s lower-level exit five minutes later, according to The Morning Call.

The discovery caused airport officials to close the facility for more than two hours, the newspaper reported.

The suitcase also contained a can of butane, a lighter, a pipe with white powder residue, a wireless drill with cordless batteries and two GFCI outlets taped together with black tape, according to court records.

GFCI outlets are a type of circuit breaker, according to the AP.

Muffley was arrested and remains in custody, WCAU reported. His probable cause and detention hearings are scheduled for Thursday at 1:30 p.m. EST in Allentown.

A message was left for Muffley’s federal public defender, Timothy Wright, on Wednesday, according to the AP.