Bomb squad called to Edinburgh Airport after ‘grenade’ found in hand luggage

A senior British Army officer has been charged after attempting to take a “dummy grenade” through Edinburgh Airport.

Lieutenant Colonel Hugo Clark is accused of taking the deactivated explosive through Scotland’s busiest airport on October 16.

The 54-year old was released from custody after a bomb squad was called to the scene and assessed that the grenade was “non-viable and posing no threat”.

A spokesperson for Police Scotland told the BBC: “Around 08:05 on Wednesday October 16, police were called by security at Edinburgh Airport after a decommissioned ordnance device was found during scanning of a passenger’s hand luggage.”.

An army spokesperson said: “A service person was involved in a security incident at Edinburgh Airport on 16 October.

“As the matter is the subject of ongoing legal proceedings we won’t comment further.”

A similar incident occurred at Edinburgh Airport earlier in the year, when a US pilot and former member of the American armed forces was held in custody after attempting to transport a “high voltage stun gun” in his carry-on luggage.

Initially, suspect Ryan Cecil claimed the weapon to be a “torch” before admitting it to be a stun gun – a device legal in most US states.

The United Airlines pilot, a former lieutenant colonel, was charged £8,500 as an alternative to a prison sentence after he claimed he had “accidentally carried it” with him.

He was taken to Livingston police station, where he told officers: “I am in violation but it was accidental.”

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His defence lawyer told the court, “He was completely unaware it was in his bag. That bag went through security checks and went undetected and he spent two nights in Edinburgh before planning on flying back. He fully accepts this was gross carelessness by him and the item in question is not a regulated item in the United States.”

Lt Col Hugo Clark is set to appear in court at a later date.

Featured image via Travel Research Files on Youtube.