An employee of the Mid-Continent Airport in Wichita, Kan., has been arrested in what Kansas U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said was a plan to bomb the airport.
Terry Lee Loewen was identified as an alleged plotter earlier this year, according to the FBI special agent-in-charge at the Kansas City regional office, Michael Kaske.
Authorities say 58-year-old Loewen thought he was driving a car with a bomb onto airport tarmac when arrested Friday. No one was injured.
Loewen had unknowingly assembled the bomb with bogus materials. Reports indicate he planned to die in the explosion.
Loewen was described by investigators as a “self styled jihadist." FBI Special Agent Kaste said at an afternoon news conference that Loewen's actions were by no means based in any religious community or house of worship.
The Wichita Eagle reports Loewen has been charged with one count of trying to use a weapon of mass destruction, one count of attempting to damage property, and one count of attempting to provide material support to designated terrorist organization.
In a release Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback thanked national, regional and local agencies that collaborated in the investigation.
"In our ongoing war on terrorism, the good guys won today," said Brownback.
