Airport security pulled a man from a Las Vegas-bound Southwest Airlines flight departing Macarthur Airport on Long Island this morning after finding an alleged improvised explosive device – possibly a pipe bomb – in his carry-on bag, officials said.
Steven Nobles, a 20-year-old resident of Las Vegas who’d been staying with relatives in the New York area, was also found to have a knife and fireworks, including M-80s, inside his checked luggage, law enforcement sources said.
Portions of the Southwest Airlines terminal at the Islip airport were shut down for about an hour and passengers evacuated while police took the suspect into custody and swept the area.
Sources said Nobles had been visiting family in Selden.
“As a precaution, we evacuated passengers to a safe area until we determined tht the situation was safe,” said airport commissioner Teresa Rizzuto.
The man was traveling alone and did not appear to have any links to known terror groups, sources said.