'My Laptop Is a Bomb' Threat Forces Plane to Return

A passenger on an Allegiant airlines flight out of Florida faces federal charges after allegedly telling others his laptop was a bomb, reports USA Today. An FBI affidavit says Taj Malik Taylor, 27, made the claim shortly after takeoff from Florida's St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport on a flight en route to Roanoke, Virginia, per WFTV. Taylor allegedly told a person near him, "My laptop is a bomb," then showed his laptop case to others who grew concerned and repeated the claim. After passengers alerted flight attendants, the plane returned to the airport, where law enforcement officers took Taylor into custody.

A search by K9 units found no explosives. Taylor later told authorities he had recently been released from a mental health facility and was experiencing "a lack of clarity" at the time, according to the affidavit. He is charged with making a false bomb threat, an offense that could bring up to five years in prison and a $25,000 fine. The replacement flight arrived in Virginia about five hours late, and Allegiant apologized for the disruption and offered affected travelers $100 vouchers.