Quote:
Originally Posted by Rudey
Sometimes it is that clear.
The bomb is the explosives, not the circuit board, and there was nothing resembling an explosive. There was no gun powder, dynamite, very large liquid container attached to it, plastique, etc.
Circuit boards are in all devices like laptops which are legal.
-Rudey
|
She had two handfuls of playdough. I'm assuming to simulate plastique.
There were wires coming out of the laptop.
It's a federal crime (a misdemeanor) to even joke to airline personnel about having a bomb. The possession of a device made to appear to be a bomb? That can possibly be a felony.
Now you tell me -- was what she constructed -- a circuit board with wires coming out of it going into two fistfuls of playdough made to resemble a circuit board or a bomb? Consider the venue.
Did the cops overreact? It's hard to say. In a post-9/11 world, I'm not certain overreaction is possible. If the device was constructed to give the appearance of a bomb, that's a crime. Maybe just a misdemeanor, but it's a crime.
Here's the law I think she's charged under:
Quote:
18 U.S.C.A. § 35
(a) Whoever imparts or conveys or causes to be imparted or conveyed false information, knowing the information to be false, concerning an attempt or alleged attempt being made or to be made, to do any act which would be a crime prohibited by this chapter or chapter 97 or chapter 111 of this title shall be subject to a civil penalty of not more than $1,000 which shall be recoverable in a civil action brought in the name of the United States.
(b) Whoever willfully and maliciously, or with reckless disregard for the safety of human life, imparts or conveys or causes to be imparted or conveyed false information, knowing the information to be false, concerning an attempt or alleged attempt being made or to be made, to do any act which would be a crime prohibited by this chapter or chapter 97 or chapter 111 of this title-- shall be fined under this title, or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.
|
-- the act prohibited of course has to do with bomb making/possession, etc.