Man jailed after smuggling explosive device onto plane at Manchester Airport

A man who attempted to take a pipe bomb on to a plane in his hand luggage at Manchester Airport has been sent to prison for 18 years. The “crude improvised explosive device” made of masking tape, batteries, the tube of a marker pen, pins and wires, was found in 43-year-old Nadeem Muhammad’s suitcase as he passed security to board a flight to Italy on January 30. Security officers at the airport initially failed to find any trace of explosives following a swab of the device, and after questioning by counter-terrorism officers, Muhammad was released. Forensic expert Lorna Philp later found it was a “potentially viable” device containing ‘double-base’ smokeless propellant, usually found in firearms ammunition. Councillor Pat Karney, of Manchester City Council, has called for an inquiry into the errors made by the security officers. Muhammad, from Bury, was born in Pakistan and holds an Italian passport. As he was convicted on August 8 of possessing explosives with intent to endanger life or property, the Crown Prosecution Service said Muhammad’s motive “remains unknown”.