WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) -- A laptop computer that triggered a security alert at Christchurch International Airport is being analyzed for evidence of explosives, police said Wednesday.
A man, understood by local media to be a Saudi national, flew into the southern city of Christchurch from Singapore on Tuesday and was searched by the Customs Service on a suspicion that his laptop computer housed an explosive device.
Police cordoned off the airport's international arrivals area and called in army bomb squad specialists to assist, airport police chief Sgt. Brian Kench said.
No evidence was found of an explosive device in the computer, but it is being further examined by Environmental Science and Research scientists for any ''residue'' that would indicate the presence of explosive material, he said.
The owner of the computer was not charged and was allowed to go, but the case will be revisited if ESR finds anything suspicious, he said.
The man had traveled to New Zealand to learn English, said Kench, who would not identify the man's nationality or say what sparked the alert.
Christchurch Airport spokeswoman Nicole Were played down the bomb scare.
''There was a security incident but it was handled by the police and quickly resolved,'' she said, adding it had not affected airport operations.
