Man brings mock IED in plane luggage, arrested in Canada

In this July 25, 2013, file photo, a United Airlines plane, top left, takes off from Newark Liberty International Airport, in Newark, New Jersey. AP

OTTAWA, Canada — A 58-year-old American man was arrested at the Toronto airport Thursday for trying to bring a “mock IED” on a commercial flight to Chicago, a police spokeswoman told AFP.

Peel Regional Police Constable Lori Murphy said the man would be held in custody overnight before facing a bail hearing in the morning.

Earlier, US Customs and Border Protection said in a statement that its officers “discovered a mock improvised explosive device (IED) during an inspection of a traveler’s suitcase at the Toronto (airport) preclearance facility.”

The device was swabbed but authorities found no explosive materials. The plane was also searched.

The United Airlines flight to Chicago was delayed several hours during the sweep, and passengers were forced to disembark and go through security checkpoints again before reboarding the aircraft. CBB/rga