DiCarlo Bennett: Baggage Handler Arrested For LAX Dry Ice Bombs, Terrorism Not Suspected

DiCarlo Bennett has been arrested in connection to two dry ice explosions at Los Angeles International Airport, but officials say they don’t believe it was an act of terrorism.

The 28-year-old Bennett worked for Servisair, a ground handling company. Police say he fashioned dry ice into a makeshift bomb that exploded in an employee bathroom this weekend. Another bomb was discovered on the tarmac, leading to flight delays.

Police have characterized the explosions are something closer to vandalism, noting that no people were targeted. They added that it did not appear to be an act of terrorism.

But the bombs, which were created by putting dry ice in 20-ounce plastic bottles, could have cause serious injury when they exploded, police added. One bomb was found in the men’s room Sunday night in Terminal 2, and there were as many as two more bombs. An employee found remnants of an exploded bomb on Sunday but threw it away, but when the same employee found another unexploded bomb the next day he reported what he had found.

It is suspected that the LAX dry ice bombs may have been the result of an internal labor dispute. Servisair was recently acquired by Swissport, and is expected to close at the end of the year.

Police have not shed light on Bennett’s motive, but said he was riding in a van with several others when he planted one of the bombs. Others in the van, which included a supervisor, were aware of the presence of the dry ice. So far police have made no other arrests.

The incident is still being investigated, and police may be without surveillance footage of much of it. Cameras are limited in the restricted-access area where Bennett is accused of planting the bombs, and police said they are combing over what footage is available.

DiCarlo Bennett is being held in $1 million bail.