Australian man arrested in U.S. over Sydney bomb hoax

SYDNEY, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- An Australian man has been arrested in the United States following a Sydney bomb hoax which targeted an 18-year-old woman two weeks ago, Australia's New South Wales ( NSW) Police said on Tuesday.

NSW police confirmed that the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents arrested the 51-year-old man at Louisville, Kentucky, about 5:45 a.m. (Australian Eastern Standard Time) on Tuesday, assisted by detectives from the Robbery and Serious Crime Squad's Strike Force Haddon.

The man was wanted in relation to the collar bomb threat on a Sydney schoolgirl at her Mosman home on Sydney's Lower North Shore on Wednesday August 3, police said.

The girl was detained in her home by an intruder who attached a fake bomb to her neck.

Technicians from the NSW Police Bomb Squad worked overnight for 10 hours to remove the device from the girl.

NSW Police contacted the FBI after an exhaustive investigation into the matter led them to identify an individual who left Australia on Monday August 8 on a flight to the United States.

The man, who is an Australian citizen, remains in custody.

A court hearing is expected to take place in Louisville at which Australian authorities will lodge an extradition application, police said.

Two NSW Police Force detectives from Strike Force Haddon are currently in Louisville assisting with the ongoing legal process.

NSW Police Commissioner, Andrew Scipione, has praised the investigative team from Strike Force Haddon for their efforts in bringing this matter to this point.

Scipione said the NSW Police Force was working closely with authorities in the United States to expedite the process, to ensure this matter is put before an Australian court as soon as possible.