Dynamite found in Lafayette student's checked luggage, FBI says
By KRISTEN HAYS
The Associated Press
HOUSTON - A Lafayette College student's checked luggage on a flight to Houston from Argentina on Friday contained dynamite, and federal authorities are investigating why he had it and what he intended to do with it, an FBI spokeswoman said.
"Certainly we are doing a thorough investigation and trying to find out what this individual's intention was in trying to bring dynamite here," FBI spokeswoman Shauna Dunlap said Friday.
The dynamite was found during a luggage search in a federal inspection station at Bush Intercontinental Airport shortly after Continental Flight 52 landed about 6 a.m. Friday. Marlene McClinton, spokeswoman for the Houston Airport System, said a bomb-sniffing dog "had a hit" on explosive residue during a further search.
She said Customs and Border Patrol and the FBI shut down the customs area and began questioning the passenger who had the luggage. The identity and age of the passenger, a man, were not released.
Houston Fire Department Assistant Chief Omero Longoria said the man told fire officials that he works in mining and often handles explosives, so that would explain the residue. He said federal officials were investigating whether the man's explanation was true, and the fire department's role in the probe ended upon determining the man's bag did not contain a bomb.
Dunlap declined to release specifics, but confirmed that the explosive was dynamite. She said authorities were "sifting through facts" and would release more information as the investigation progresses.
Dunlap also said the man was from Connecticut and attends Lafayette College in Easton, Pa.
Continental spokeswoman Julie King said the CBP contacted the carrier when the dog detected the explosive. She said the flight left Buenos Aires, Argentina, and had 173 passengers onboard.
McClinton said the explosive was removed from the airport and the incident caused no airport disruptions.
After departing Houston, Flight 52 was kept from the terminal when it landed at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey about 1:40 p.m., said Marc La Vorgna, a spokesman for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the airport's operator.
"It's been brought to a secure area of the airport for some additional security screening. Passengers are being bused to the terminal," La Vorgna said. "It had nothing to do with any individual passengers, from what I understand. This is more precautionary than anything else."
