FBI in Minneapolis Search for Suspect who Left Device in Rental Car

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - The FBI was helping in the search Sunday for a person who left a suspected explosive device in the trunk of a rental car at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.

The Bloomington Police Department's bomb squad detonated the device, finding it contained no explosive material. But airport spokesman Pat Hogan said it appeared to be an attempt at either crafting a bomb or something that looked like one.

"It had wires coming out of it, and shrapnel attached, and it was concealed in the cargo area in a way where you wouldn't see it if you were just casually looking into the trunk," Hogan said.

An employee of Avis Rent A Car found the device while inspecting the recently returned car at around 10:30 a.m. Sunday. The Bloomington bomb squad detonated it without incident a few hours later, and Hogan said airport operations were not affected.

Hogan said investigators have a name from the rental agreement but had not yet located the person; he said he didn't know if the person lives in the Twin Cities area, or left on a plane after dropping off the car.

"We want to talk to whoever placed it there to see if there's any rational explanation for what it was and why it was left in a rental car," Hogan said. "It certainly appeared suspicious."

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