An Egyptian national has been arrested and remanded in custody for five days by the Criminal Court after claiming his sister’s luggage contained a bomb at the Velana International Airport (VIA) check-in area.
The individual arrested in connection with the incident has been identified as 38-year-old Peter Saman Marzouk Saman.
The incident occurred at the airport’s departure screening area when security officers were preparing to inspect his sister’s bag. The suspect allegedly claimed there was a bomb inside the luggage; however, a search revealed no explosives or dangerous items.
Upon being brought before the court, the suspect claimed that his statement was intended as a joke. He apologised for his actions and noted that he had fully cooperated with the police investigation.
Despite his apology, the Criminal Court ordered him to be remanded for five days, citing potential threats to public safety if he were to be released.
Issuing bomb threats or providing false information regarding dangerous weapons at airports, even in jest, is strictly prohibited.
This is not the first instance of such behavior at the airport; several individuals have previously been arrested and faced legal action for making similar "jokes."
