Police Nab Suspect, Wanted in DC, Who Allegedly Left Koran Near State Capitol

BOSTON, MA — A saga that started in a Downtown Crossing jewelry store and sparked a bomb squad sweep on Beacon Hill Monday culminated in the arrest of a fugitive wanted in Washington, DC, the Boston Police Department said.

Aziz Rehman Osmani, 22, is accused of making threats at a Reagan National Airport ticket counter, as well as a subsequent assault on a Metro Washington Airport Police officer.

According to the Boston Police Department, Osmani caught their attention in Boston Monday after allegedly causing a disturbance at a Downtown Crossing jewelry store just before 11:30 a.m. The store owners told police he refused to return jewelry he had been inspecting at the counter.

Police report they reviewed in-store security footage and sent the suspect's picture to the Boston Regional Intelligence Center, who issued a city-wide bulletin for BPD personnel to be on the look-out for him.

Shortly thereafter, city police say Osman was seen "leaving a suspicious device on the steps of One Ashburton Place (McCormack Building)," which houses multiple state agencies a street away from the State Capitol.

According to Mass. State Police, who responded to the scene after reports of an unattended package:

"Responding troopers located a book, determined to be a copy of the Koran, left unattended outside the main front entrance. Initial reports that wires were protruding from the book proved to be false. Troopers reviewed security footage which showed a man leaving the book at the top of the steps outside the entrance and walking away. The State Police Bomb Squad responded and determined there was no threat and gave the all-clear."

Roughly three hours later, Boston Police report they received a call about someone causing a disturbance at a Boylston Street homeless shelter.

"On arrival," a police press release states, "officers promptly observed an individual who matched the description of the individual seen causing the commotion at the jewelry story earlier in the day. A warrant check on the individual showed that that he was wanted by Metro Washington Airport Police."

Police said they arrested Osmani, who will be held here as a fugitive from justice until he is returned to Washington, DC.

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