Ryanair pipe bomb passenger found guilty
A man has been found guilty of trying to smuggle a pipe bomb onto a Ryanair flight to Italy at Manchester Airport.
The ‘crude improvised explosive device’ was spotted by officers in Nadeem Muhammads’ carry-on luggage as he passed through security on January 30.
The device made from batteries, wire, masking tape and a marker pen contained nitroglycerin and nitrocellulose and could have blown a hole in the aircraft fuselage, according to experts.
The 43-year-old from Bury, who was born in Pakistan, was found guilty of possessing explosives with intent to endanger life at Manchester Crown Court.
He will be sentenced on August 23.
Muhammed had denied the charge, claiming when questioned by police that told someone else had put the pipe in his bag before he attempted to fly to Bergamo in northern Italy.
He returned to Manchester Airport on February 5 and flew to Italy, where he was questioned by Italian police but later released. He returned on a flight to the UK on February 12 and was arrested by UK police officers shortly after it landed.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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