man with explosives detained at texas airport

8/3/2019 Man With Explosives Detained at Texas Airport

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/man-with-explosives-detained-at-texas-airport 1/16

USA TODAY

Man with explosives detained at Texas airport

December 31, 2011 - MIDLAND, Texas (AP) – An official in Texas says a man has beendetained after entering an airport in Midland with explosives in military-grade wrapping.

City of Midland spokeswoman Tasa Watts said Saturday she had no information on thesuspect, who was taken into custody by the FBI. An FBI spokesman did not immediatelyreturn a phone call from The Associated Press.

Watts says the explosives were found as the man was going into a terminal at Midland

International Airport.

She says the incident happened shortly before 9:30 a.m. Saturday. A sweep was doneand the airport terminal was cleared, and normal operations have resumed.

http://content.usatoday.com/topics/topic/Midland+International+Airport




http://www.usatoday.com/

http://www.usatoday.com/



FBI: Soldier Tried to Board Plane With Explosives In Texas

Saturday, December 31 2011 - (Midland, TX) -- The FBI says it's questioning a soldierwho allegedly tried to bring explosives onto a commercial flight at the Midland, TexasInternational Airport.

Authorities say the unidentified man is active duty military and was bound for a base inNorth Carolina.

TSA screeners say they found military-grade explosives in his bag as he attempted topass through a security checkpoint. - Source: http://ozarksfirst.com/fulltext?nxd_id=579537

2:27 p.m.: Explosives found at airport, military man in custody

December 31, 2011 10:38 AM

BY NATHANIEL MILLER

Midland International Airport was evacuated for about an hour Saturday morning afterTransportation Security Administration officials found military-grade explosives in aservicemanʼs carry-on bag.

http://www.oaoa.com/reporter-profile/bynathaniel-miller-1654



http://ozarksfirst.com/fulltext?nxd_id=579537






Midland Police bomb technician Sgt. Brian Rackow would not elaborate on what type ofexplosives were found, but only said they were located when a man and his family weregoing through the security checkpoint before boarding their plane.

The suspect has identified himself to investigating officials as active military and was inthe Permian Basin to visit his family, Rackow said. The suspect and his family were ontheir way back to his base in North Carolina and he has been cooperative with FBIinvestigators, who were in charge of the case, Rackow said.

Michael Martinez, a spokesman with the FBI, would only confirm the agency wasconducting an investigation and they had a suspect in custody. Martinez also would notspecify what kind of explosives were found or where they originally came from.

The original call came in around 9:26 a.m. after the explosives were found while theman was going through security. TSA evacuated the terminal and the airport to perform

a sweep of the airport and later allowed everyone back in an hour later, MPD Lt. VictorRivera said.

“When people evacuated, we have them go across the airport parking lot as far as theycan,” Rivera said.

There was no reported structure damage or injuries during the evacuation andoperations at the airport returned to normal.

Rivera was not sure how many flights were delayed or cancelled because of theevacuation, but one family said they were held up on their flight home.

Having to stop in Houston before returning home to Midland, Steve Miller said he andhis family went to Disney World for the holidays and were on their way back Saturdaymorning.

Miller, more frustrated with the lines at the Orlando theme park, said his family was notfully aware of the situation until they finally landed in Midland, and said the delay wasworth waiting to make sure everyone could leave and arrive at the airport safely.

“They did what they were supposed to do,” Miller said.

PHOTOS - 2:27 p.m.: Explosives found at airport, military man in custody

Source: http://www.oaoa.com/articles/midland-78320-explosives-airport.html

http://www.oaoa.com/articles/midland-78320-explosives-airport.html

http://www.oaoa.com/sections/article/gallery/?pic=1&id=78320&db=odessa







Soldier detained after 'tryingto take military explosiveson plane'By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Last updated at 9:57 PM on 31st December 2011

A soldier has been detained by the FBI after he was found to becarrying explosives onto an airplane.

The man, who has not been identified, was travelling with his wifeand children through Midland International Airport, Texas.

At the security checkpoint, officers spotted a suspicious item in acarry-on bag during X-ray screening.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?s=&authornamef=Daily+Mail+Reporter

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?s=&authornamef=Daily+Mail+Reporter

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/



Caution: Explosive ordnance technicians secure an explosivestransport box to the back of a van. The explosives were found in acheck-in bag at security



Under control: The explosives were taken from an unidentifiedpassenger

Inside the bag, they found military-grade explosives.

A source told CBS7 that he may have taken the explosives to theairport 'by mistake'.

FBI spokesman Mike Martinez confirmed a man was detained atthe airport and the agency is investigating.

He declined to say whether the man was in military uniform or how many pieces of explosives were found in the bag.

The explosives were taken away in a secure box and transportedto a secure facility, where they will undergo testing.



Danger: The explosives will now undergo testing so investigators candetermine their grade (file picture). The man, who is active in themilitary, has been detained.



Secure: The explosives were found at Midland International Airport,Texas

Authorities said the man was bound for a base in North Carolina,

where he is on active military duty.

He was visiting his mother who lives in Midland.

The security checkpoint was closed for an hour as officers carriedout a sweep, a Transportation Security Administrationspokesperson said.

Normal operations have resumed and no flights were delayed.

The specific grade of the explosives will not be known until after tests.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2080808/Soldier-detained-trying-military-explosives-plane.html#ixzz1i9WrV2gJ

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2080808/Soldier-detained-trying-military-explosives-plane.html#ixzz1i9WrV2gJ






Explosives found in bag atTexas airport

By Melanie Whitley, CNNJanuary 1, 2012 -- Updated 0659 GMT (1459 HKT)

STORY HIGHLIGHTS1 TSA says a "suspicious" item was detected during X-ray screening2 A city official says the item was explosives encased in military-grade wrapping3 A portion of Midland International Airport was closed while authorities removed the item

(CNN) -- A North Carolina man was arrested on suspicion of attempting tocarry explosives through a security checkpoint at an airport in Midland,Texas, federal authorities said.

Trey Scott Atwater of Hope Mills was taken into federal custody Saturdaymorning after Transportation Security Administration agents spotted whatthey described as a suspicious item.

The item was in his carry-on during X-ray screening at a securitycheckpoint at Midland International Airport, FBI spokesman Mark Morgansaid in a statement.

Neither the FBI nor the TSA identified the explosives, though a Midland

spokeswoman said the items were "wrapped in military grade wrapping"and are in the possession of the Midland Police Department.

"At no time was there any danger to the people at Midland InternationalAirport or the community of Midland, Texas," Morgan said.

The airport terminal was temporarily evacuated while authorities"conducted a sweep, and deemed all clear," said Tasa Watts, the cityspokeswoman.

Atwater has been arrested on a federal count of attempting to get on anaircraft with an explosive, Morgan said.

Source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/01/01/us/texas-airport-explosives/?hpt=hp_t2

http://edition.cnn.com/2012/01/01/us/texas-airport-explosives/?hpt=hp_t2







Man held after trying to get

through airport security with

explosivesASSOCIATED PRESS December 31, 2011 10:12PM

Patrol Officer and Explosive Ordnance Technician Dylan Hale, left, secures an explosivestransport box to the back of a vehicle to be taken to a storage facility, Saturday, Dec. 31, 2011,at the Midland International Airport in Midland, Texas. The military-grade explosives wereconfiscated from a departing passenger. (AP Photo/Odessa American, Heather Leiphart)

MIDLAND, Texas — A man was detained Saturday after trying to go through asecurity checkpoint at a Texas airport with explosives in military-grade wrapping,federal and local officials said.

The man was stopped at a security checkpoint at the Midland InternationalAirport about 9 a.m. and taken into custody by the FBI, they said.

FBI spokesman Mike Martinez declined to say whether the man was in militaryuniform or how many explosives were found in the bag. He said he did not knowwhere the man was being held, saying he was at either the airport or at the FBI

office in Midland.

Midland police Sgt. Brian Rackow told the Midland Reporter-Telegram andOdessa American that the man identified himself to investigating officials asbeing active in the military. He and his family had been in the area visitingrelatives and were on their way back to his base in North Carolina, Rackow said.



It’s not clear which base, and Rackow did not immediately return phone calls toThe Associated Press for comment.

City of Midland spokeswoman Tasa Watts said she had no information on thesuspect but the explosives were wrapped in military-grade wrapping. She saidthe specific grade won’t be known until the explosives are tested.

The Transportation Security Administration issued a statement saying one of itsofficers spotted a suspicious item in a carry-on bag during X-ray screening. Itsaid the checkpoint was closed for about an hour while officers investigated andremoved the item.

Watts said the man was entering a terminal when he was stopped, and a sweepwas done to clear that terminal before normal operations resumed.

An American Airlines spokesman said the man had a reservation on Flight 3283from Midland to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. The departure time for the American Eagle plane was 9:45 a.m.

Source: http://www.suntimes.com/news/nation/9752475-418/man-held-after-trying-to-get-through-airport-security-with-explosives.html

Soldier denies knowing of explosivesin plane bagBy ANGELA K. BROWN, Associated Press

MIDLAND, Texas (AP) — A soldier charged with trying to bringexplosives on an airplane in Texas told investigators he used them inAfghanistan but didn't realize any were in a bag he brought back tothe U.S. and apparently carried on a flight from North Carolina to

Texas.

Trey Scott Atwater, of Hope Mills, North Carolina, was arrestedSaturday while trying to go through security at an airport in Texaswhere he was planning to fly back home. Authorities say the 30-year-old had a carry-on bag containing C4, a powerful explosive used in

http://www.suntimes.com/news/nation/9752475-418/man-held-after-trying-to-get-through-airport-security-with-explosives.html










Iraq and Afghanistan to blow the hinges off doors or destroyunexploded ordinance.

According to court documents, Atwater told the FBI he is a demolitions

expert who returned from his third deployment to Afghanistan in April.He said his Army special forces team always carried at least twoblocks of C4, but he didn't know any explosives were in his bag whenhe returned to his post at Fort Bragg, N.C.

He said the bag had been in his garage since then and he didn't seeany explosives in the main compartment when he packed for his trip toTexas.

Atwater was detained at the Fayetteville, North Carolina, airport onDec. 24 when security agents found a military smoke grenade in hiscarry-on bag. Court documents don't specify — and transportationofficials wouldn't say Tuesday — whether investigators now suspectC4 was in Atwater's bag then or whether he acquired it later.

Atwater did not say where he got the C4, although his comments incourt documents indicate he could have brought it from Afghanistan.After the smoke grenade was confiscated, Atwater was "admonished"

and allowed to fly to Texas, court documents said. Typically, bags arethoroughly searched and placed on X-ray machines for a second timeafter a suspicious item is found, although court documents don't saywhether that was done in Atwater's case.

He and his family were returning home when he was stopped atMidland International Airport. A Transportation Security Administrationagent spotted a suspicious item in his carry-on during screening, anda police bomb squad identified it as C4.

C4 looks like a block of clay and requires a blasting cap or detonator to explode. Combat troops have ready access to the explosive, whichcan also be used as fuel for heating water or rations. The U.S. militaryforbids troops from taking C4 out of combat zones, but the screeningprocess for troops heading home is not as stringent as for peopleflying on commercial airlines.



Documents do not say how much C4 was in Atwater's bag or whether there were blasting caps.

Atwater has been charged with trying to bring explosives onto anairplane, which carries a maximum 10-year federal prison sentence.

He waived his initial court appearance Tuesday, and his attorney,Jason Leach, declined to comment on the case.

The FBI didn't find out about the smoke grenade until after Atwater'sarrest in Midland.

"When I asked him about the December 24 Fayetteville incident after TSA informed me of it, Atwater acknowledged that it had occurred, butsaid he had forgotten to mention it to us during our initial interview,"the FBI agent wrote in the affidavit filed in the case.

TSA spokesman Greg Soule declined to comment Tuesday.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/slideshow/ALeqM5iHPAhiuMLOU1wYmL7Lgfo2iEhMaA?docId=3089bd34abd34233a944576c4312db9d&index=0
















This undated photoprovided by the MidlandCounty Sheriff's Office viaThe Odessa American

shows U.S. Army Sgt.Trey Scott Atwater.Atwater 30, who ischarged with trying tobring explosives onto anairplane was expected tobe arraigned Tuesday infederal court. Atwater was stopped by airport

security at MidlandInternational AirportSaturday when theydiscovered explosives inmilitary-grade wrapping ina carry-on bag in hispossession. (AP Photo/Midland County Sheriff'sOffice via The Odessa

American)Map

http://maps.google.com/maps?z=5&q=MIDLAND%2C%20Texas&hl=en















Source: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iHPAhiuMLOU1wYmL7Lgfo2iEhMaA?docId=3089bd34abd34233a944576c4312db9d

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iHPAhiuMLOU1wYmL7Lgfo2iEhMaA?docId=3089bd34abd34233a944576c4312db9d




