Chicago man, 75, tells NY authorities he was only kidding about having bomb aboard airplane

Man arrested in bomb-on-plane report: I was joking

CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. — A 75-year-old Chicago man has told New York authorities that he was joking when he claimed he had a bomb in his carry-on luggage.

Draco Slaughter was held on $50,000 bail Monday, a day after his arrest on a charge of reporting a false incident.

Southwest Airlines Flight 373 from Chicago had arrived at about 2:35 p.m. Sunday at Long Island MacArthur Airport.

Passengers were getting off the plane when a flight attendant noticed a carry-on bag on an empty seat. According to police, Slaughter told her there was a bomb in it.

He later told police he was kidding.

Nothing dangerous was found during a two-hour search. The plane traveled on to its final destination, West Palm Beach, Fla.

Slaughter is due back in court on Friday.