Authorities in Pennsylvania have arrested a 19 year old man with charges of possession of Weapons of Mass Destruction. Police officers were reportedly investigating a marijuana-growing operation when they came across a home-made bomb and bomb-making materials concealed in a suitcase.
Vladislav Miftakhov, a Russian citizen, was arrested and charged with possessing a weapon of mass destruction, risking a catastrophe and drug-related offenses. He was arraigned Friday and bail was set at $500,000. According to a criminal complaint, police found one pound of atomized magnesium and one pound of Chinese potassium perchlorate along with a package labeled potassium nitrate powder. They also found fuses and several containers of compressed air. When asked what he was going to do with two devices that were found with exposed fuses, Miftakhov said “he was going to blow things up,” the complaint alleges. Miftakhov later said he only intended to set devices off in a field and wasn’t going to blow anything up with the intention of causing harm.
Miftakhov will next appear in court on February 5.
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