Qasim M. Hussein told Boise police he lied when he told airport officials that he might have a bomb in his carry-on luggage Saturday because he felt unfairly targeted by Transportation Security Administration agents who wanted to do a second search on a carry-on bag, according to court records obtained by the Idaho Statesman.
The 27-year-old Hussein is being held in the Ada County Jail on a $20,000 bond for a felony charge of false report of explosives in a public place. A preliminary hearing for Hussein is set for Dec. 17.
Police were sent to the Boise Airport at 7:30 a.m. after getting a request for help from the TSA. Police say Hussein told TSA agents “You should be careful, there may be a bomb in my bag,” after they told him they were going to do a “secondary screening” of his carry-on bag, according to court records.
Hussein told police later he felt he was being targeted for his ethnicity and the color of his skin. He also told police he felt what he said was covered under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, according to probable cause reports.
Police say several flights were delayed while officers investigated what was going on.
The crime of false report of explosives in a public place is punishable by up to five years in prison.
