Passenger's bomb threat delays Amtrak train

An Amtrak passenger from Minnesota has been charged with two felonies following a bomb-threat incident last week near Browning.

Police in Browning were called to assist in removing Hussein Hassan, 24, of Burnsville, Minn., from the Empire Builder train on Feb. 14 about 8 p.m. Train personnel said Hassan was drunk and causing trouble.

According to police, officers heard Hassan say he had left a bomb in his bag while driving him to the station. A search of the train didn’t turn up a bomb, but the train was delayed 11 hours as it was forced to stop between Browning and East Glacier in high winds and snow.

About 140 passengers were evacuated to a nearby middle school, including six elderly people, two babies less than 3 months old and several passengers who could not get to their insulin medication while the train was on lock-down status. Three of the passengers were injured during the evacuation and treated at local hospitals.

According to the Glacier County Sheriff’s Department, Hassan had spoken in a foreign language before allegedly saying, “No one will survive on that train.” A bomb squad from Malmstrom Air Force Base was dispatched to the site but didn’t find an explosive device.

Hassan was charged with two counts of felony criminal endangerment and one misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct. He faces up to 20 years in prison a fines up to $100,000 if convicted.