Teen accused in attempted backpack bomb pleads not guilty

ST. GEORGE, Utah – A teenager accused of trying to blow up a homemade backpack bomb at a St. George high school after looking at Islamic State propaganda has pleaded not guilty.

The Spectrum newspaper in St. George reports the 16-year-old boy entered his plea Wednesday and is due back in court Aug. 22.

The teen is charged with felony attempted murder and using a weapon of mass destruction, as well as misdemeanour graffiti and abuse of a flag.

The charges were filed after the smoking backpack was found in a common area of Pine View High School in March. It failed to explode.

Investigators found no known connections between the boy and the terror group.

He’s also charged with spray-painting “ISIS is comi_” on a Hurricane High school wall in February plus cutting up an American flag and replacing it on a flagpole with a homemade ISIS flag.

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Information from: The Spectrum, http://www.thespectrum.com