Tucson man arrested on suspicion of threatening to blow up buses in Indiana

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — A Tucson man was arrested last week by the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Southern Arizona Violent Crime and Gang Task Force on suspicion of threatening by phone to place pipe bombs on school buses in Indiana, according to a news release issued by the United States Attorney's Office District of Arizona.

Amir Safavi Farohki, 28, was also charged with making an interstate threat to rape and murder a female employee of the Bloomington, Indiana Police Department, the news release said.

The complaint, according to the release, alleges Farohki used his phone to call the Indianapolis Police Department, to tell them that he planned to place pipe bombs on school buses. The complaint alleges that he also threatened to shoot any responding officers.

Farohki's threatening behavior extends to two Tucson-area hospitals, the news release said. He is alleged to have threatened to shoot hospital staff and patients at Tucson ER Hospital on Oct. 21. On Oct. 22 and 23, Farohki made similar threats to Northwest Hospital, the news release said.

The United States will have up to 30 days from his arrest to seek an indictment of Farohki. F.B.I. officials say they worked with the Pima County Sheriff's Department in the case. The U.S. Attorney's Office District of Arizona is handling the prosecution.