Man who flew with weapons denied bail

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LOS ANGELES, Oct. 13 (UPI) -- A man arrested in Los Angeles after flying from Japan with what was described as a smoke grenade, knives and body bags in his luggage was denied bail Friday.

Yongda Huang Harris, 28, appeared before a federal magistrate who denied him bail, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Harris, who had been teaching in Japan, wore a bulletproof vest and pants made of flame-retardant material during the Oct. 5 flight to Los Angeles International Airport, a federal prosecutor said. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Mills said a search of his computer turned up material suggesting he is sexually interested in girls and might be inclined to violence toward children.

He was also described as having leg chains, handcuffs, billy clubs and a baton in his luggage.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul Abrams said the items in Harris' bags "at minimum show that he is not making good choices and may not be able to understand the consequences of his choices."

After the hearing, Steven Seiden, Harris' attorney, called him a "nice young man, shy and gentle." He said Harris was concerned about street crime in Boston, his eventual destination.

Seiden asked the magistrate to grant bail so Harris could attend his stepfather's funeral in the Boston area.

Harris, of Chinese descent, is a naturalized U.S. citizen.