Utah man accused of bringing knife on Delta flight

[September 21, 2011]  SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- A Utah man faces federal charges after authorities say he smuggled a 3-inch knife onto a commercial flight and threatened to kill a passenger and two law enforcement officers.

Sixty-year-old David Alan Anderson was charged Tuesday in Salt Lake City's federal court with possessing a dangerous weapon on an aircraft and retaliation against a federal officer by threat of murder.

If convicted, Anderson faces up to 20 years in prison. A detention hearing is set for Thursday.

Authorities say Anderson was removed from a Delta Airlines plane in Salt Lake City before it left for Las Vegas on Sunday after he threatened to kill a passenger.

Officers found a knife in his bag and say he then threatened to kill a police officer and an FBI agent.

It wasn't immediately clear if Anderson had an attorney.

[Associated Press]

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