Santo Comingo, May 16 (RHC)-- U.S. authorities say they have arrested a man who made drunken threats about detonation of a bomb onboard a passenger plane heading to New York. A Friday statement by airport security officials said the man forced the plane to return to Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, on Thursday, the Associated Press reported.

The perpetrator, identified as 27-year-old Frank Bruno Diaz, is set to show up in court soon. Prosecutor Olga Llaverias said that Diaz would be charged with terrorism as it is believed that he put the plane's six crew members and 144 passengers at risk.

It was not clear if the man, reportedly born in New York, was alone or had accomplices. Initial speculation was that the passenger was simply drunk and out of control, but his threats of a bomb would be taken seriously until proven otherwise. Meanwhile, U.S. airline JetBlue Airways Corporation refused to comment on the matter.

JetBlue is a low-cost airline headquartered in the Long Island City neighborhood of the New York City borough of Queens.