Guns found in US professor's luggage by Egypt customs

Guns found in US professor's luggage by Egypt customs

news.bbc.co.uk

Police in Egypt have arrested an Egyptian-American academic discovered to have several weapons in his luggage as he arrived on a flight from the US.

Officials said they saw the man, named as Mohammed Ibrahim Marei, a professor of botany, "behaving nervously" as he waited to pass through customs.

In his bags they found two handguns, 250 bullets, several swords, daggers and knives.

He had arrived on an Egyptair flight from New York to Cairo.

(visit the link for the full news article)



[edit on 12-5-2010 by illusive man]

In his bags they found two handguns, 250 bullets, several swords, daggers and knives.

US security must be great if he could take 2 Guns and 250+ rounds along with swords.

how does one get that sort of aresnal on a plane so easily and almost get away with it?

with everything thats happend and happening wounder where the blame will go

news.bbc.co.uk
(visit the link for the full news article)

reply to post by illusive man


Well actually you are allowed to transport weapons in your checked bags as long as the ammunition and weapon are separated. You just have to tell them when you check your bags. (I'm not sure but I think the weapon must be registered. Some states don't require you to register your firearms.. like Wyoming)

So yes, he would have been able to get them onto the plane in NY as long as it wasn't "carry on".

[edit on 12-5-2010 by DaMod]

reply to post by DaMod


learn something new i guess
cheers

I wonder if this guy has anything to do with the Sphinx excavation at all... Professor of Botany my a$$! This just makes the whole situation in Egypt that more interesting. It's amazing how things happen in broad daylight but are part of a behind the scenes work by the elite.

reply to post by DaMod


Sheesh, really? And it applies to international flights as well?

So a professor from the US goes to Egypt with weapons and ammo? It certainly wasn't enough to net a ton of cash. It hardly seems worthy of labeling him a weapons dealer / smuggler, etc.

Frankly, with all of the tension in Egypt regarding Israel, I might pack some protection too. Especially if I was travelling alone or without a deatiled itinerary.

Regarding how he boarded in the first place:

According to several news agencies, the U.S. Transport Security Administration maintained that there had been no security lapse on its end, as U.S. regulations allow weaponry in checked baggage if it has been declared to the airline.

"Transporting firearms within the U.S. in checked baggage is permitted if properly declared to the airline," the TSA said in a statement, according to AFP.

However, The New York Times reported that a TSA official said the weapons in this case had not been declared. The TSA official stated that the agency routinely searches checked luggage for explosives but not for arms, since they are not accessible to passengers in flight.

Link: www.aolnews.com...

I guess my question is: What's the big deal?

reply to post by Comatose


It would be the arriving airport's problem. Or, a problem when then trying to fly back out of the country.

Just because you can get firearms to your destination, does not mean you can get them back home.

It would have been cheaper to by an AK-47 and Russian pistol over there.
The black market prices are very reasonable.