Man who brought bomb replica to Newark airport won't be prosecuted

Alon Felman was traveling to a police-training seminar in Florida when the replica device was spotted by airport screeners. (TSA)

The Israeli man who was arrested at Newark Liberty International Airport for attempting to bring a fake bomb through security earlier this month will not be prosecuted, officials in Essex County, N.J. have announced.

Alon Felman was arrested on Sept. 4, after triggering a scare at Newark airport which subsequently closed down six Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screening lanes, by bringing the device into the air hub via his carry-on bag.

Felman, a defense contractor, had told police he brought the replica of the improvised explosive device to the airport as he was flying to a police-training seminar in Florida, News 12 New Jersey reported. He had just arrived in Newark from Tel Aviv.

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It was reported that he faced charges of creating false alarm and interfering with transportation, as per NJ.com.

Prosecutors in Essex County ultimately determined Felman had a legitimate reason for bringing the device to the airport, and that the device posed no threat of exploding, the Associated Press reported.

Essex County prosecutors say the charges against Felon were dismissed after authorities determined he had a legitimate purpose for possessing the device and that it wasn't something that could explode.

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At the time, however, TSA officials had said the device appeard to be a “fully assembled IED,” which required the closure of security checkpoints.

“Everyone reacted to the event properly. Law enforcement was called in and a safety perimeter was established until such time as it was deemed safe to resume normal operations,” said TSA’s New Jersey Federal Security Director Tom Carter in a statement obtained by Fox News.

“The item was built to look exactly like an explosive device. The terror threat is real and we do not take chances when it comes to protecting the lives of travelers,” Carter added. “We have a great working relationship with our law enforcement partners and we thank them for their response to this unfortunate incident.”

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Carter had also called Felman’s actions “foolish” for his actions.

“The individual who brought this device to the checkpoint knew he had a replica bomb with him and as such, he should have known better than to bring it to an active checkpoint,” Carter said. “His foolish actions inconvenienced hundreds of passengers.”