DOMINICAN REPUBLIC – Bomb jokes and fake bomb threats in airports and inside airplanes have long been considered a serious crime and a Domican-American will learn that lesson well.
Frank Bruno Diaz was arrested for a fake bomb threat on a flight between the Dominican Republic and New York City on Friday, the Dominican Republic’s Specialized Body for Airport Security and Civil Aviation (CESAC) said.
Diaz was aboard the JetBlue plane when he suddenly “acted in a violent manner and claimed to be a terrorist”, authorities said.
CESAC told reporters that Diaz demanded that the plane go back to Santo Domingo after an hour into filght or he would detonate a bomb.
The threat caused panic among the passengers, CESAC said. It turned out to be a hoax.
CESAC said the man will be charged with violating the country’s airport security and civil aviation laws, and could face up to 10 years in jail.
But the Public Prosecutor’s Office told local daily Listin Diario that breaking such laws can carry a sentence of 20 to 30 years in prison. – BusinessNewsAsia.com