Suspicious Man Arrested At Orlando Airport

(CBS) A man is in custody at Orlando International Airport after law enforcement authorities found suspicious items in his bag that security sources say "appear to be component parts that could be used in manufacturing pipe bombs," reports CBS News correspondent Bob Orr.

The man was stopped at a screening checkpoint inside Orlando's Terminal A as he headed for a flight to Jamaica. Orr reports he was detained by TSA officers trained in behavioral analysis, and his checked bag was then retrieved from the baggage area.

Sources told CBS News the contents of the bag included: sections of pipe, a battery pack and written materials and manuals concerning explosives. It is unclear whether any explosive materials were found, and the bag itself had not apparently been fashioned into any kind of IED, the sources said.

The suspect has not been connected to any threat and apparently made no threat of his own. There is no evidence that he is connected to any larger criminal or terrorist enterprise, though federal officials from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Transportation Security Administration continue to work with local police in a preliminary investigation.

A statement by the TSA said a bomb squad was also at the scene, but had no further information.

TSA says flight operations are operating normally and both security checkpoints are open.

source www.cbsnews.com...

May question is this:

It may look really bad, but what law did he break?

written materials and manuals concerning explosives?? - (hell raisers hand book, bomb making for dummies, how to blow up a jet liner in three easy steps?, any islamic source books etc.) the written materials would be sufficient, but he could also be put away for possession of bomb making equipment, conspiricy to commit, or possibily under mental health acts, take your pick in this day and age im afraid.

Wee Mad Mental

[edit on 1/4/2008 by weemadmental]

Well, it just said he was in custody right? And not arrested? I see your title says arrested but the article said in custody, which could mean just being held for questioning.

If I were getting on the same plane as this man, I think I would want him held and interrogated as well...

And I'd probably let him have the window seat with no argument.

[edit on 1-4-2008 by LateApexer313]

reply to post by LateApexer313



Then again, they never said he was released either, I don't think.

oh well, I wouldn't want him on my plane either.

Sorry but lets cut through all the BS and not be politically correct here. If you go to an airport these days with parts that resemble a bomb along with instruction/knowledge manuals YOU ARE A COMPLETE AND UTTER IDIOT!!! No excuses, no reasons, NOTHING!!! DUMB

reply to post by rcwj75


Yep, you got it, I agree.

And then again, it could have been a "test". There could have been 10 of them that all went to different airports with the same materials to test the security and this is the only one who got caught.

But I agree, most likely an lone mental case. Hopefully.

I thought of that too...but I would think testing like that is conducted by the FAA and US Air Marshals internally...so the results of the find would be kept in house for training purposes and not made public. UNLESS you wanted to reward your screeners with some news saying they did a good job and caught said suspect, never revealing it was a training operation.

All i know is if it WAS a citizen...just some guy trying to take a flight...I revert back to my original post...

I dunno "written materials and manuals concerning explosives" sounds like an embelishmant to justify the arrest.

You'd have to have mental problems to have "written materials and manuals concerning explosives".

Good thoughts about it being a test or reward.

I had a thought...

...as some have said, a complete idiot! But maybe somebody doing a study on physchology and human behavior not worrying about the outcome of his actions, but looking for it for information on reaction.

Ya, or maybe it was just an assinine decision.