Dutch police arrest two in possible terror attack dry run

US airport screeners found suspicious items - including knives, a mobile phone taped to a medicine bottle, and phones and watches sellotaped together - in the men's hold luggage late Sunday before they left the US.

The US notified Dutch authorities that the men's luggage included suspicious items and the pair was arrested early Monday upon landing at Schiphol Airport on United Airlines flight 908, raising questions about how the men were able to fly after their luggage had been flagged.

Amid limited details on the incident ABC News, which broke the story, said it may have been an attempt to test what items could pass through airport security by concealing "mock bombs" in their luggage, in possible preparation for a future attack.

The news agency identified the men as Ahmed Mohamed Nasser al-Soofi, of Detroit, Michigan, and Hezam al-Murisi.

It also said the pair was charged with "preparing a terrorist attack," but US law enforcement officials told The New York Times that the men had not been charged and the ordeal may have simply been a misunderstanding.

Dutch airport police declined to provide details of the arrest.