(Salah Ali: Brea Police Department)
Salah Ali, 47, of Salinas is facing felony charges after officers discovered two homemade bombs in his car during a traffic stop.
According to the Orange County District Attorney's Office, Ali is being charged with several counts of sale, transportation and possession of a destructive device.
Brea police said they pulled over a Toyota Corolla with expired tags in the area of South Orange Avenue and Imperial Highway at 9p.m. Tuesday.
Officers searched the car during the stop and found two homemade bombs inside and discovered Ali also had a suspended license.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Department Bomb Squad handled the two bombs and rendered them safe.
Ali has two prior convictions from June 2003 for aggravated assault with serious bodily injury and terrorist threats in Passaic County, New Jersey, although Brea Police Lt. Adam Hawley said there is no evidence that Ali has any ties to a terrorist organization.
Ali plead not guilty in his court hearing and is being held on $500,000 bail. If convicted, he could face up to 10 years in prison.