A 49-year-old man has been arrested after attempting to pass through security at Sacramento International Airport carrying an explosive device, according to federal prosecutors. The suspect, identified as Kimani Osayande Jones, who also uses the surname Jackson, was stopped at a checkpoint on Saturday wearing latex gloves and a face-covering scarf.
Security officers discovered a suspicious collection of items in his carry-on bag, including a cardboard tube fitted with a fuse containing viable explosive material, a torch lighter, a knife, zip ties, and five mobile phones. One phone displayed a 15-minute countdown timer, while another bore the message: “We will be awaiting your call.”
Bomb technicians later confirmed the device was functional and could have caused significant damage if detonated near a window on a pressurised aircraft at cruising altitude, potentially leading to a loss of cabin pressure. Jones now faces a charge of unlawfully possessing explosive material in an airport.
Court documents reveal that Jones had made “rambling” calls to the FBI in the months prior, claiming he was being threatened and intimidated. His attorney argued that the full context of the case has not yet been disclosed, and further details will emerge through legal proceedings.
The incident comes amid changes to airport screening procedures; in 2025, the United States ended the requirement for passengers to remove their shoes, a rule introduced after Richard Reid’s failed “shoe bomb” attempt in 2001.
