Former Aviation Security worker found guilty of planting fake bomb at airport

A former Aviation Security Service (Avsec) officer has been found guilty of planting a fake bomb at Dunedin Airport two days after the Christchurch terror attack. Preetam Prakash Maid, 32, was charged with taking an imitation explosive into a security-enhanced area after a device was found on the northern side of the airport on March 17, 2019. Maid, who started work with Avsec in May 2017, claimed to have spotted an unusual item near a hut. He was found guilty in a majority verdict by a jury in the Dunedin District Court on Wednesday. Judge Michael Crosbie praised the jury, which took over a day and a half to reach its majority verdict, noting the evidence was "overwhelming". During a trial that took more than two weeks, the Crown alleged Maid planted the device at the airport himself, constructing it from items obtained from a secured airport area. The device contained wires, a cylinder, batteries, a cellphone and a cryptic note, the jury was told during the trial, held over more than two weeks. The handwritten note read: “A. Alpha, B. Birds, C. Crash, D. Dunedin, E. Emergency, F. Fools.” A handwriting expert told the court it was likely to have been written by Maid. The Crown alleged a possible motive for Maid, who had previously raised issues over airport security measures, was getting more work at the airport.<br/>