UK man tries to board plane with 'toy bomb', creates scare

KUALA LUMPUR: A 48-year-old British man today tried to carry a toy bomb on board a plane packed with tourists, creating a security scare at the popular Indonesian airport following which he was briefly detained.

Davide Fogli tried to board a Doha-bound Qatar Airways flight from Bali carrying a toy bomb which he had bought for taking it to a New Year's Eve party, airport officials was quoted as saying by The Telegraph.

Fogli, who was accompanied by a friend, had initially declaring the toy - with a timer and imitation sticks of dynamite - at the security and had asked if he could take it on board.

Airport officials refused to his request following which he left the toy bomb at the desk before proceeding to check-in with his woman friend.

The plane packed with tourists had apparently already taxied on to the runway and was preparing for take off when it was ordered to return to the terminal after authorities wanted to question Fogli further.

The duo were escorted off and taken in for questioning - initially by airport security officials then by police in the provincial capital Depasar today.

After declaring the toy, which featured a timer and imitation sticks of dynamite, at security he asked if he could take it on board the Qatar Airways flight.

But police said officers at the airport in Bali refused and he left it at the desk before proceeding to check-in with his woman friend.

The packed flight, bound for Doha, had apparently already taxied on to the runway and was preparing for take off before officials at the Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali entered the jet to remove the pair.

After interrogating, police established the bomb, which featured a timer attacked to multiple sticks of dynamite, was a toy.

The airport general manager, Trikora Harjo reportedly had the man pulled off the passenger jet.

"This was a very realistic toy and in the current climate, we wanted to know more about his plans," Bali Airport said.

The security officials cleared the man of any charges after being sent to a toy shop, where they found identical replicas for sale.

"We have found no indication of suspicious reasons, he just bought a toy. But since airport authority filed a report, we had to do a follow up," police chief Reinhard Habonaran Nainggolan said.