US soldier caught boarding flight with explosive

US soldier caught boarding flight with explosive

www.msnbc.msn.com

PHOENIX — Police in Arizona have arrested a U.S. soldier after he attempted to board a flight to Los Angeles with a small amount of high-velocity plastic explosive in his baggage, authorities said on Thursday.

United States Army Private First Class Christopher Eric Wey, 19, was arrested after he tried to board a United Airlines flight to Los Angeles from Yuma, Ariz., on Wednesday, the U.S. Attorney's office for Arizona said.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Looks like the terrorists are having a hard time with this. I am not sure exactly how the TSA caught this would be plane bomber. Was it due to chemical detection or physical search.

The substance was C4, not top of the line stuff, but certainly a small amount could be used to take a plane down. This may also be something to show that the TSA is working...yea right. Fact remains that a potential terrorist was just taken off a flight.

www.msnbc.msn.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

It just states he boarded the flight with the explosive, his intentions weren't to explode it mid-flight.
Nothing terrorist related.

From the way the story reads, I think it was chemical detection. From the OP source:

Transportation Security Administration officers detected explosives in his baggage during security screening at Yuma International Airport. A subsequent search found a half ounce of C4 explosive hidden in a tobacco can inside one of the bags.

Being that they "detected" explosives, then subsequently found them leads me to believe it had to be chemical detection that tipped them off.

Originally posted by THE_PROFESSIONAL


Looks like the terrorists are having a hard time with this. I am not sure exactly how the TSA caught this would be plane bomber. Was it due to chemical detection or physical search.

The substance was C4, not top of the line stuff, but certainly a small amount could be used to take a plane down. This may also be something to show that the TSA is working...yea right. Fact remains that a potential terrorist was just taken off a flight.

www.msnbc.msn.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Ive been to that airport and 50% of everyone has to go through the bomb sniffing divice

What makes you think he was a potential terrorist?

Given the nature of the explosives and his statement, it sounds to me like he could have just as easily been guilty of stupidity and poor judgment, rather than having any sinister motive.

Just a soldier being stupid is all.

Did you know that you could wad up c-4 like a wad of gum then light it with a match. It just burns like crazy, but it is guaranteed to freak your friends out.

Soldiers shouldn't be exposed to TSA anyway.

There's not much he could have done with the C4 on the flight if he didn't have any detonators. Which points to stupidity - he probably wanted to take it home to the farm and blow up a pumpkin to impress his friends.

Originally posted by NightGypsy
it sounds to me like he could have just as easily been guilty of stupidity and poor judgment

How about guilty of theft of government property and possession and transportation of prohibited explosive materials. Stack that on top of any federal laws broken by taking this onto an airplane. Stupidity and poor judgement are not acceptable excuses. I hope they throw the book at him, put him under the jail and lose the key. I say set an example of this criminal.

reply to post by Khaaaaaan!!


I've used C-4 to brew coffee. Pretty stable stuff as long as you don't add compression while it is burning. If you do.....KA- BLOOOOIE!

Originally posted by Khaaaaaan!!
Soldiers shouldn't be exposed to TSA anyway.

Really? How about this guy?

Originally posted by THE_PROFESSIONAL


Looks like the terrorists are having a hard time with this. I am not sure exactly how the TSA caught this would be plane bomber. Was it due to chemical detection or physical search.

The substance was C4, not top of the line stuff, but certainly a small amount could be used to take a plane down. This may also be something to show that the TSA is working...yea right. Fact remains that a potential terrorist was just taken off a flight.

www.msnbc.msn.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Possibly both. As a former Soldier, I have been subject to many pat downs and screenings. Only sex I have had in a while. I know, TMI.

But just as in all aspects of society, , there are idiots floating about. Even the Spartans had them, but they were written out of the history books.

reply to post by Aggie Man

How about guilty of theft of government property and possession and transportation of prohibited explosive materials. Stack that on top of any federal laws broken by taking this onto an airplane. Stupidity and poor judgement are not acceptable excuses. I hope they throw the book at him, put him under the jail and lose the key. I say set an example of this criminal.

I don't remember suggesting he committed no crime. It's my opinion, however, that stupidity and poor judgment were likely what brought about the crime in the first place.

All I'm saying is I think it's a leap to consider him a potential terrorist given what the facts are so far.

reply to post by THE_PROFESSIONAL


Was he in fact a plane bomber, or was he just trying to sneak off with plastic explosives?

Originally posted by yourmaker
It just states he boarded the flight with the explosive, his intentions weren't to explode it mid-flight.
Nothing terrorist related.

edit on 14-7-2011 by yourmaker because: (no reason given)

Of course it is terrorist related. He brought a bomb onto the airplane. If he says otherwise, it is a obvious lie. They need to investigate this more and see how he was planning on performing his terrorist actions.

Obvious case of DYK. Dumb young kid. Thought it would be cool to try to sneak C4 onto a plane and show it to his friends. About 99.9% sure not terrorism was intended...I mean without detonators and only half an ounce, the case presents itself.

reply to post by Khaaaaaan!!

Soldiers shouldn't be exposed to TSA anyway.

Why should soldiers get any special treatment? If its anyone who should get special treatment it is the taxpayers.

Originally posted by NightGypsy
What makes you think he was a potential terrorist?

Given the nature of the explosives and his statement, it sounds to me like he could have just as easily been guilty of stupidity and poor judgment, rather than having any sinister motive.

Exactly. My uncle used to work for FedEx. He would typically carry a gun with him when traveling by car. One time he drove to Houston with his wife, but had to go back home earlier than her so he decided to fly on the jump seat in one of the FedEx cargo planes. It wasn't until his luggage was being scanned at the airport that he remembered the gun, yup it was unbelievably stupid. This was before 9-11 and he wasn't arrested or anything, they basically just told him he couldn't bring the gun on the plane and let him leave with his gun (my how things have changed now). But they had to file a report and FedEx found out about the event. Initially they told him not to worry about it, then someone in corporate fired him over it, then he protested it and they eventually gave him his job back. Anyway, it's possible that this soldier wasn't a terrorist, but was just guilty of not thinking.

Originally posted by THE_PROFESSIONAL


Looks like the terrorists are having a hard time with this. I am not sure exactly how the TSA caught this would be plane bomber. Was it due to chemical detection or physical search.

The substance was C4, not top of the line stuff, but certainly a small amount could be used to take a plane down. This may also be something to show that the TSA is working...yea right. Fact remains that a potential terrorist was just taken off a flight.

You are worse than mainstream media. Could you give that story just one more twist or did you wind it up too tight already? I find you do this sort of thing often in your posts. It's a good thing people read the articles first.

The complaint says that Wey stole the C4 while attending an explosive training course. Authorities found no evidence that he intended any harm with the small amount of explosives in his possession.

reply to post by IPILYA

Authorities found no evidence that he intended any harm with the small amount of explosives in his possession.

What if he hid his intent really well or lied to investigators. Fact still remains that this guy is a potential terrorist. You going to believe just because he said he wasn't going to blow up a plane makes it true?