Facebook spat sparks plane bomb hoax

Facebook spat sparks plane bomb hoax
Facebook spat sparks plane bomb hoax

PA


A man was charged for falsely reporting explosives aboard a US Airways plane after he saw a compromising picture of his girlfriend on her former lover's Facebook page.

Kenneth Smith Jr., 26, made a hoax call about Christopher Shell, 29, who was on the US Airways flight from Philadelphia to Dallas on Thursday, Reuters reported.

The plane was ordered back to Philadelphia shortly after it departed as police received a call that Shell was carrying a 'liquid explosive' on board.

Authorities confirmed it was a hoax when no dangerous materials were found and an FBI statement read: 'Smith stated that his motive for doing so was to avenge Person 1's (Shell) ex-girlfriend of whom Person 1 had posted a compromising picture on Facebook.'

Mr Smith's lawyer William Brennan declined to describe the photograph but said: 'It is the kind of photo that could incense a boyfriend.'

At the U.S. District Court Mr Smith was ordered by Federal Magistrate Henry Perkin to keep his job as a restaurant cook, remain at his Philadelphia address, not seek a passport and stay away from Mr Shell and firearms.

He could face a maximum of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, Patricia Hartman from the U.S. Attorney's Office said. Mr Smith will appear in court at a later date.

'I think my client, who is a stand-up guy, is frankly very embarrassed,' Mr Brennan told reporters.

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