Frankfurt — A harmless hand-grenade sculpture in a suitcase on its way to the United States prompted a bomb disposal team at Frankfurt Airport.
A baggage handling employee discovered the alleged hand grenade during an X-ray on Tuesday, German Federal Police said Wednesday.
Officers cordoned off the area. The plane, which was already on the tarmac, could only take off for Washington after a delay of almost one and a half hours - without the suitcase.
The police disposal service was quickly able to give the all-clear, they said.
The object had been artfully converted into a sculpture and rendered unusable as a grenade, they said.
At no time did it pose a danger, police said. The unsuspecting owner of the suitcase, a 56-year-old US citizen, had been sitting on board the plane. Police said his luggage would follow him to the US a little later.
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