NEW YORK City

Alleged claim of bomb in shoe results in arrest

An Air France co-pilot was in police custody Saturday after allegedly telling an airport security screener that he had a bomb in his shoe.

Philippe Rivere, 50, was arrested Friday night at John F. Kennedy International Airport, Port Authority spokesman Tony Ciavolella said. Rivere was charged with falsely reporting an incident and could face up to seven years in prison.

Rivere, who was to co-pilot a flight from JFK to Paris, was going through a security checkpoint when he allegedly said he had a bomb in his shoe, Ciavolella said. Ciavolella would not say whether Rivere was joking.

Police determined there were no explosives in Rivere’s shoes, Ciavolella said.

CLEVELAND

Teenagers charged in stun gun attacks

Four teenagers were charged Saturday with attacking homeless people with a stun gun as they slept and videotaping the assaults.

Police said the teenagers carried out attacks on at least six homeless people sleeping on park benches or in doorways.

“I’ve never seen anything like it in 18 years, except on TV,” said Sgt. Ray Burner. “Did you ever see the movie ‘Jackass’? Well, that’s essentially what we’re talking about.”

Joshuah Langenheim, 19, was charged with assault. Three other teenagers, all juveniles, were released to their parents and will face delinquency assault charges.

NEW YORK City

Author charged with smuggling Iraq artifacts

The author of a book on rebuilding Iraq was arrested at Kennedy International Airport on charges of smuggling stolen 4,000-year-old Mesopotamian artifacts out of Baghdad, authorities said Saturday.

Joseph Braude, author of “The New Iraq,” was released on a $100,000 bond after a preliminary appearance Saturday in federal court.

Braude, 28, brought the priceless artifacts into the United States on June 11, U.S. Atty. Roslynn Mauskopf said. Braude was arrested Friday night after arriving at the airport on a flight from London, Mauskopf said.

Braude bought the three cylindrical stone seals, made of marble and alabaster, for $200 in June during a visit to Baghdad, authorities said.

“These items are not souvenirs, but stolen goods that belong to the people of Iraq,” said Martin Ficke, special agent in charge of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office in New York.