If “Ahmed Mohammed” wasn’t looking to create a problem, he wouldn’t have built something that looked exactly like a suitcase bomb. What clock looke like that?
Have you ever tinkered with electronics, or known a tinkerer? At this kid’s age, I spent plenty of time taking things apart, reassembling them, etc. The interesting part is the process, not what it looks like in the end.
And that’s not a “briefcase,” the photo is cropped to make it look bigger than it is. Look at the plug next to it for a sense of proportion. The case is not much bigger than a person’s hand.
He built nothing! At 14 I was rebuilding motors, helping build houses and was a pretty damn good welder. This kid took an old digital clock apart and screwed the components back into a small case. He was trying to draw attention and it wasn’t for his inventive skill’s, I also suspect his father played a part in it.