[Drizzt]

Man carrying inactive mine arrested at airport

(Windsor Locks-WTNH, July 4, 2003 9:00 PM) _ An explosives expert who told airport screeners he was carrying a Russian land mine in his carry-on luggage was charged with Breach of Peace Friday night at Bradley International Airport.

Tommy Dale Smith, 43, of Charlotte, North Carolina, teaches military personnel overseas how to deactivate mines and other military ordinance.

While going through security, he told a TSA screener that he had a Russian land mine in his bag. The mine was inactive and did not contain any explosive material.

Smith was questioned and charged with Breach of Peace and Inciting Public Alarm. He was expected to be freed after posting a $500 bond, and was scheduled to be in court on Monday.

http://www.wtnh.com/Global/story.asp?S=1348302&nav=0RdeGjrM

[AZRickD]

What "peace" did he breach and what "public" did he alarm since he was dealing with "highly trained" TSA officials who, one would think, would be aware of the difference between inert and kaboom.

Rick

[Cosmoline]

Someone REALLY needs to take that inactive land mine and beat the head of the TSA with it. Hopefully GW will. If he doesn't start to smack down those idiots soon, he's lost my vote.

They let firearms through, yet the arrest people who alert them to INACTIVE land mines! Idiots, idiots, RANK IDIOTS!

[AZRickD]

Recently my father died. He was a winner of four Bronze Stars in the European Theater (he never told us, btw). My sister wanted to take some of his war momentos which included a 90mm howitzer shell which was engraved with artwork. She put it in her checked baggage. I wonder what would have happened if those two TSA found it?

Rick

[Cosmoline]

If those yahoos found the shell, my bet is it would have grown legs.

[Standing Wolf]

Fire mineta!

[Jim March]

Hey, I know him! He's a friend of mine!

:)

Or, "what's mine is a mine, what's yours is a mine"...:D

"Mine eyes decieve me!"

:neener:

[QuickDraw]

O.K. Jim,I'll play.
The TSA should mine their own bussiness.
This thread not suitable for miners.
The TSA guy said"We have a miner problem here".
Mine eyes have seen the glory.
I think I'll go to bed now.

QuickDraw

[Mark Tyson]

The TSA needs a swift kick in the hindquarters. This is absurd.

[Drizzt]

Defused mine lands Charlotte man on probation

AIRPORT ARREST

A Charlotte man arrested after bringing a defused land mine to Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Conn., has been given a special form of probation. A Superior Court judge in Enfield, Conn., Monday granted accelerated rehabilitation to Tommy Dale Smith, 45, on a breach of peace charge. Under the program for first-time offenders, Smith's criminal record will be erased if he completes the terms of his probation.Smith said he is a retired Army Special Forces demolitions expert and was traveling to an Arab country to teach members of its military how to disarm the explosive.

Smith said he was carrying parts of a land mine from the former Soviet Union.

"There was no explosive compound; it was just a case," Smith said Monday.

When Smith arrived at Bradley on Friday he turned in his checked bags and then informed airport security officials he had the mine. He said he was told there would be no problem as long as the airline approved.

State troopers were then called to inspect the bags. They determined the land mine was not operational, but decided to file charges

http://www.charlotte.com/mld/observer/6262056.htm

[Erik]

It is illegal to bring any components of an explosive devise onto an aircraft. Inert mines most definitly are banned.

TSA screeners, by the way, did not arrest the man. They do not have the power of arrest.

[RustyHammer]

... just when you think you've heard it all. Shesh.

[keithernTN]

Common sense is all it takes to protect Americans from wrongful prosecution. To bad in most cases the justice system ignores common sense.