PSU Altoona student faces weapons of mass destruction charge

Authorities say a Penn State Altoona student was arrested Friday on multiple charges including possession of weapons of mass destruction.

According to the Altoona Mirror, the arrest came after police investigated reports that Vladislav Miftakhov was growing marijuana at his residence.

During the search, cops discovered a suitcase with a homemade bomb and bomb-making materials inside, a news release stated.

CNN notes that a criminal complaint alleges that Miftakhov told authorities "he was going to blow things up." He later retracted that statement and said he wasn’t going to blow anything up, but just set devices off in a field.

Police did find marijuana in the 19-year-old Russian citizen’s apartment as well.

Miftakhov faces a long list of charges including possession of controlled substances, possession of drug paraphernalia, intent to deliver marijuana, possession of weapons of mass destruction, risking a catastrophe, possessing instruments in the intent to commit a crime, making and selling offensive weapons and recklessly endangering another person.

He is being held on $500,000 bail.