FBI: Lake Ronkonkoma Woman Makes Bomb Threat to Southwest Airlines

For some, the 10th anniversary of the attacks on Sept. 11 meant a heightened sense of awareness for the airways and transportation system across America.

But Mary Purcell, 37, of Lake Ronkonkoma didn’t like the idea of her mother Margaret Meyer and brother William Meyer, flying around on Sept. 10, a day prior to the anniversary, according to the FBI.

According to the FBI, it was her concern about the safety of her family that led her to allegedly call the Tucson Airport Authority Police (TAAP) that day and placed a bomb threat prior to the departure of Southwest Airlines Flight 2475. The flight that was scheduled to land at Long Island MacArthur Airport later in the day on Sept. 10, the FBI said.

TAAP received two calls from an anonymous female at 8:40 a.m. and 9:40 a.m., who stated she overheard her boyfriend and several others discussing a bomb plot targeting Flight 2475, the FBI said.

Bomb squad technicians, local law enforcement and the FBI were called in, removing all luggage and conducting a thorough search with no results. They traced the number to Margaret Meyer's home, where Mary Purcell was when the calls were allegedly made, the FBI said.

After an investigation was conducted, Purcell admitted she made the false call from the Lake Ronkonkoma home, the FBI said.

She was arraigned last Tuesday and released on a $200,000 bond, signed by her mother and brother. Purcell could face up to 10 years in prison.