Watch them 12V Cell Phone Adapters TSA Panics Again

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) -- Airport security officers destroyed a passenger's
carry-on briefcase Thursday after an X-ray showed a suspicious object and
the owner falsely claimed to be a law enforcement officer, officials said.

No bomb was found, and the passenger was released after questioning, said
Larry Rowlett, federal security director for airports in Mississippi.

The bomb scare closed Jackson International Airport for an hour. Hundreds of
people were evacuated, and flights were delayed.
Rowlett said a civil lawsuit might be filed against the passenger,
identified only as a 35-year-old Jackson man, for "impeding checkpoint
operations."

The man told officials that the suspicious item was a phone charger, but the
item did not match the phone he was carrying, Rowlett said. The briefcase
was blown apart with a water cannon in an airport stairwell, and among the
remains were wires, a telephone battery, tweezers and a cassette player,
authorities said.

The passenger also claimed to work for the state Narcotics Bureau, then
admitted it was not true after airport officials asked to see his badge,
said Lauren Stover of the federal Transportation Security Administration.

Airport security officers destroyed a passenger's
carry-on briefcase Thursday after an X-ray showed a suspicious object and
the owner falsely claimed to be a law enforcement officer, officials said.


Testing the system?

Jose

--
(for Email, make the obvious changes in my address)

I'd kinda like to see a suitcase blown apart with a water cannon.


--
Dave A
Aging Student Pilot
KFRG


"NW_PILOT" wrote in message
...
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) -- Airport security officers destroyed a passenger's
carry-on briefcase Thursday after an X-ray showed a suspicious object and
the owner falsely claimed to be a law enforcement officer, officials said.

No bomb was found, and the passenger was released after questioning, said
Larry Rowlett, federal security director for airports in Mississippi.

The bomb scare closed Jackson International Airport for an hour. Hundreds
of
people were evacuated, and flights were delayed.
Rowlett said a civil lawsuit might be filed against the passenger,
identified only as a 35-year-old Jackson man, for "impeding checkpoint
operations."

The man told officials that the suspicious item was a phone charger, but
the
item did not match the phone he was carrying, Rowlett said. The briefcase
was blown apart with a water cannon in an airport stairwell, and among the
remains were wires, a telephone battery, tweezers and a cassette player,
authorities said.

The passenger also claimed to work for the state Narcotics Bureau, then
admitted it was not true after airport officials asked to see his badge,
said Lauren Stover of the federal Transportation Security Administration.

I'd kinda like to see a suitcase blown apart with a water cannon.


Me too.

Going on any trips soon?

"NW_PILOT" wrote in message ...
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) -- Airport security officers destroyed a passenger's
carry-on briefcase Thursday after an X-ray showed a suspicious object and
the owner falsely claimed to be a law enforcement officer, officials said.

There appears to be two stories to this:

Jackson International Airport evacuated some 500 passengers and
employees late Thursday morning after a scanner detected a suspicious
item in the carry-on luggage of a 25-year-old with a criminal history.

When the Jackson man wouldn't reveal his identity or the suspicious
item, a Jackson bomb squad destroyed his metal briefcase in a
stairwell with a water canon.

In the end, what the Jackson Explosive Ordnance Disposal team blew up
was a cologne bottle — its top sealed with tape, two cell-phone
batteries and some headphone wires wrapped around them, said Larry
Rowlett, federal security director for airports in Mississippi.

The airport was shut down for 1 1/2 hours, forcing flight delays.

The Jackson man's name has not been released because no charges have
been filed against him, said FBI spokeswoman Deborah Madden.
Prosecutors will review the case to determine whether charges will be
filed, Madden said. The man was released.

The man misled authorities about his identity, saying he was an agent
with the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics.

"He (the passenger) didn't do anything wrong," Rowlett said. "If he
had made no false statement, I wouldn't have so much heartburn over
it. It raises your suspicious when someone starts lying to you about
this stuff."

Rowlett said the man has been arrested twice — once for receiving
stolen goods and another for larceny. He said the man also has a
record with the FBI.

The man was attempting to enter the East Concourse about 10:25 a.m. to
board an American Eagle flight to Dallas when a baggage screener with
the Transportation Security Administration, a branch of Homeland
Security, noticed the X-ray of his bag indicated a suspiciously shaped
item inside.

Rowlett said he was called over to examine the X-ray and questioned
the man about it. That's when the man identified himself as an MBN
agent. Rowlett said he asked to see the man's badge and the man told
him it was packed in his checked-in luggage.

Rowlett said he immediately became concerned. He had spent six years
with the Dallas Police Department's homicide squad and 22 years with
the Secret Service (including presidential duties with the Reagans)
before taking this job 21/2 years ago,

"I've been on the job 30 years and never seen a police officer put
(their badge) in their luggage," he said. "You always have it with
you."

As they proceeded to the check-in counter, the man confessed he wasn't
an MBN agent but was a reserve police officer, Rowlett said.

Rowlett said he then decided to detain the man, shut down the East
Concourse and contact the bomb squad and the FBI.

All but one flight was halted. A Southwest Airlines jet scheduled for
an 11 a.m. departure took off early, leaving 13 passengers behind,
said Dirk Vanderleest, executive director of the Jackson Municipal
Airport Authority.

Some planes remained in holding patterns, and others were rerouted, he
said.

Rowlett made no apologies for the shutdown. "My job is to secure these
airports," he said.

Passengers were sent out of the airport to parking lots.

This is the first time the airport has been evacuated since the
airport experienced a series of bomb threats following the attacks on
the World Trade Center and Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001, said
Vanderleest, who described Thursday's evacuation as orderly.

By 1 p.m., activity at the airport had returned to normal.

Delta Air Lines pilot Guy Orlowski, who landed at 1:07 p.m. from
Atlanta, said he didn't know anything had happened until after he
landed.

Rae Wilkinson of Starkville didn't know what the commotion was about
when she went to meet her parents' noon flight from Texas.

But she did see the long line of stalled airport traffic that made her
late.

When she got in at 12:45 p.m., Wilkinson finally got in touch with her
parents on their cell phone.

Their flight was diverted to Alexandria, La., until they could get in,
she said, still uncertain what had happened until a reporter informed
her.

Wilkinson marveled at how quickly the airport had gotten back to
normal.

"It looks like things are really pretty quiet."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sounds to me like the Security Officer was on the ball and doing their
job.


John

"NW_PILOT" wrote in message ...
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) -- Airport security officers destroyed a passenger's
carry-on briefcase Thursday after an X-ray showed a suspicious object and
the owner falsely claimed to be a law enforcement officer, officials said.

There appears to be two stories to this:

Jackson International Airport evacuated some 500 passengers and
employees late Thursday morning after a scanner detected a suspicious
item in the carry-on luggage of a 25-year-old with a criminal history.

When the Jackson man wouldn't reveal his identity or the suspicious
item, a Jackson bomb squad destroyed his metal briefcase in a
stairwell with a water canon.

In the end, what the Jackson Explosive Ordnance Disposal team blew up
was a cologne bottle — its top sealed with tape, two cell-phone
batteries and some headphone wires wrapped around them, said Larry
Rowlett, federal security director for airports in Mississippi.

The airport was shut down for 1 1/2 hours, forcing flight delays.

The Jackson man's name has not been released because no charges have
been filed against him, said FBI spokeswoman Deborah Madden.
Prosecutors will review the case to determine whether charges will be
filed, Madden said. The man was released.

The man misled authorities about his identity, saying he was an agent
with the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics.

"He (the passenger) didn't do anything wrong," Rowlett said. "If he
had made no false statement, I wouldn't have so much heartburn over
it. It raises your suspicious when someone starts lying to you about
this stuff."

Rowlett said the man has been arrested twice — once for receiving
stolen goods and another for larceny. He said the man also has a
record with the FBI.

The man was attempting to enter the East Concourse about 10:25 a.m. to
board an American Eagle flight to Dallas when a baggage screener with
the Transportation Security Administration, a branch of Homeland
Security, noticed the X-ray of his bag indicated a suspiciously shaped
item inside.

Rowlett said he was called over to examine the X-ray and questioned
the man about it. That's when the man identified himself as an MBN
agent. Rowlett said he asked to see the man's badge and the man told
him it was packed in his checked-in luggage.

Rowlett said he immediately became concerned. He had spent six years
with the Dallas Police Department's homicide squad and 22 years with
the Secret Service (including presidential duties with the Reagans)
before taking this job 21/2 years ago,

"I've been on the job 30 years and never seen a police officer put
(their badge) in their luggage," he said. "You always have it with
you."

As they proceeded to the check-in counter, the man confessed he wasn't
an MBN agent but was a reserve police officer, Rowlett said.

Rowlett said he then decided to detain the man, shut down the East
Concourse and contact the bomb squad and the FBI.

All but one flight was halted. A Southwest Airlines jet scheduled for
an 11 a.m. departure took off early, leaving 13 passengers behind,
said Dirk Vanderleest, executive director of the Jackson Municipal
Airport Authority.

Some planes remained in holding patterns, and others were rerouted, he
said.

Rowlett made no apologies for the shutdown. "My job is to secure these
airports," he said.

Passengers were sent out of the airport to parking lots.

This is the first time the airport has been evacuated since the
airport experienced a series of bomb threats following the attacks on
the World Trade Center and Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001, said
Vanderleest, who described Thursday's evacuation as orderly.

By 1 p.m., activity at the airport had returned to normal.

Delta Air Lines pilot Guy Orlowski, who landed at 1:07 p.m. from
Atlanta, said he didn't know anything had happened until after he
landed.

Rae Wilkinson of Starkville didn't know what the commotion was about
when she went to meet her parents' noon flight from Texas.

But she did see the long line of stalled airport traffic that made her
late.

When she got in at 12:45 p.m., Wilkinson finally got in touch with her
parents on their cell phone.

Their flight was diverted to Alexandria, La., until they could get in,
she said, still uncertain what had happened until a reporter informed
her.

Wilkinson marveled at how quickly the airport had gotten back to
normal.

"It looks like things are really pretty quiet."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sounds to me like the Security Officer was on the ball and doing their
job.


John

"John" wrote


Jackson International Airport evacuated some 500 passengers and
employees late Thursday morning after a scanner detected a suspicious
item in the carry-on luggage of a 25-year-old with a criminal history.

..

The Jackson man's name has not been released because no charges have
been filed against him, said FBI spokeswoman Deborah Madden.
Prosecutors will review the case to determine whether charges will be
filed, Madden said. The man was released.

The man misled authorities about his identity, saying he was an agent
with the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics.

"He (the passenger) didn't do anything wrong," Rowlett said. "If he
had made no false statement, I wouldn't have so much heartburn over
it. It raises your suspicious when someone starts lying to you about
this stuff."


Sounds to me like the Security Officer was on the ball and doing their
job.


John

I find it hard to believe that this jerk was not thrown in jail for a few
more years. Seems like impeding an investigation would be at least one
charge to hold him on. I'll bet the TSA officer was ****ed nothing
happened.
--
Jim in NC


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
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"John" wrote


Jackson International Airport evacuated some 500 passengers and
employees late Thursday morning after a scanner detected a suspicious
item in the carry-on luggage of a 25-year-old with a criminal history.

..

The Jackson man's name has not been released because no charges have
been filed against him, said FBI spokeswoman Deborah Madden.
Prosecutors will review the case to determine whether charges will be
filed, Madden said. The man was released.

The man misled authorities about his identity, saying he was an agent
with the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics.

"He (the passenger) didn't do anything wrong," Rowlett said. "If he
had made no false statement, I wouldn't have so much heartburn over
it. It raises your suspicious when someone starts lying to you about
this stuff."


Sounds to me like the Security Officer was on the ball and doing their
job.


John

I find it hard to believe that this jerk was not thrown in jail for a few
more years. Seems like impeding an investigation would be at least one
charge to hold him on. I'll bet the TSA officer was ****ed nothing
happened.
--
Jim in NC


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.774 / Virus Database: 521 - Release Date: 10/7/2004