| Police: Marines on unexcused leave charged in Internet bomb case |
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| Two Marines on unexcused leave from Camp Lejeune and a third person downloaded bomb-making information from the Internet and threatened to use the explosives at the base, state police said Saturday. |
A family member contacted police about the plan, leading to the arrests of three people in Tunkhannock, Wyoming County, police said.
Richard D. Morrison Jr., 21, of Tunkhannock and Richard Thomas Medders, 22, of Trussville, Ala., both Marines, and Janna Rebecca Lynn Smith, 27, of Richlands, N.C., about 20 miles from the base, were arraigned Saturday and were being held on $100,000 bail each.
Police arrested them early Saturday and charged them with conspiracy to risk a catastrophe, a felony, and making bomb threats and terroristic threats, both misdemeanors.
"A concerned citizen came to us with information that these things were being talked about, and ... brought us items that had been printed out (on) how to make various incendiary devices," Wyoming County District Attorney George Skumanick said.
Morrison and Medders allegedly left Camp Lejeune, a Marine base in North Carolina, about two weeks ago, according to state police in Tunkhannock. Marine Corps officials could not immediately confirm that.
"That's where they were stationed. I guess they had issues with them," said Trooper Robert A. Kennedy, the investigating officer.
A preliminary hearing is set for Feb. 18.
The defendants do not yet have lawyers, Skumanick said.
Tunkhannock is about 135 miles northwest of Philadelphia. |