Man arrested for terroristic threat to blow up sheriff's office

CONROE, TX (KTRK) -- A man who allegedly wanted to turn his van into a bomb to blow up the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office is under arrest after he tried to get someone to buy him supplies.

It all went down outside of a Conroe Walmart. An eyewitness was walking into the store and stopped to talk to Danyal Arafat about his 70s Volkswagen van.

The witness told deputies Arafat suddenly handed him a bag full of cash and asked him to buy shotgun shells and model rocket motors.

According to the witness, Arafat said the materials would be used to finish making a bomb to blow up the sheriff's office. The witness refused to help and immediately contacted authorities.

He continued to talk to Arafat until deputies arrived.

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Bomb sniffing dogs were used to search Arafat's van for any explosive materials but none were found.

It was later determined that Arafat didn't pose any immediate danger to the public, however, police appreciated that the witness immediately reported the incident.

"We can never be too careful," said Sheriff Henderson in a MCSO press release.

Arafat now faces a charge of felony terroristic threat causing fear.