Explosives found in bag at Midland airport

[fulano]

It will be interesting to see how this turns out.

Explosive material found in bag of man trying to fly out of Midland, Texas. Not many details.

http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/12/31/2 ... ed-at.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[G.A. Heath]

Unofficial word is that he is in the military, flying back to his post after visiting family in the Midland/Odessa area, and claimed to have transported this material while flying before. Additionally unofficial word is that he had 2lbs of material and its packaging identified it as C4.

[E.Marquez]

Unofficial word is that he is in the military, flying back to his post after visiting family in the Midland/Odessa area, and claimed to have transported this material while flying before. Additionally unofficial word is that he had 2lbs of material and its packaging identified it as C4.

Ummm, while anything is possible many things are not likely.
“claimed to have transported this material while flying before.” Not likely, and not officially, and not IAW well published regulations and policies.
“had 2lbs of material and its packaging identified it as C4” Again anything is possible. Once done with DEMO training, it’s just a signed statement of use that a commander signs indicating the issued explosives were in fact used. So draw 10-15lb for training and associated Modernized Demolition Initiators (MDI) supplies.. Conducted training but one person with access, and setting the charges (using some of the planned charge but not all of it. is one way) it would be very possible, as long as others were in on it. Or, a team leader that conducted the training, and unknown to the team, only used 8 of 10 lb drawn, then submits the consumption report paperwork to an otherwise unknowing commander who signs,, the "system" now indicates all explosives were used or returned, and only the thief is the wiser

Something like this happened in June of 2011.
http://www.cnn.com/2011/CRIME/07/14/ari ... xplosives/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

All that said, I have had my frustrating times with TSA and explosives detection twice now. with false positives (well really real positives, but trace only, no actionable material) Like many military, the same assault pack I take everyplace when deployed, training, is the same one I take moving by commercial AC to various locations… Said assault pack has seen everything from C4 to RPG7 rockets, and been handled extensively after its owner has handled explosives. This tends to send the TSA sniffers in to a frenzy .. but after hand inspection, all was well both times.

[G.A. Heath]

More information from local news outlets:
http://www.cbs7kosa.com/news/details.asp?ID=31439" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.kwes.com/story/16424087/expl ... estigation" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.oaoa.com/articles/midland-78 ... rport.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Now what I posted earlier was from a source who has given pretty reliable info in the past, that person works for a local news outlet and doesn't work for any of the three above links which are also from local news outlets. Now the earlier source has removed much of what they posted above but I suspect that the part about the suspect cooperating in the above articles is factual so I hope we will learn more soon. This happened about 1 hour away from where I work, so I am following this story closely.

[G.A. Heath]

We now know who the suspect is, SFC Trey Scott Atwater. He was flying to Fort Bragg and the explosive material was C4. So far the unofficial information that I had read before hasn't been wrong. Here's the latest article:
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/01/01/ar ... s-airport/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[E.Marquez]

Well best hope for him is this was a bone head mistake, and what he had is accountable and simply mishandled.
It still will not go well, in the end,, but not well is better then compleatly malasious with actions appropret.

[Heartland Patriot]

Well best hope for him is this was a bone head mistake, and what he had is accountable and simply mishandled.
It still will not go well, in the end,, but not well is better then compleatly malasious with actions appropret.

Is it possible that the dude was taking it home after "appropriating it for further use"? Like, his dad needs to remove some stumps or something, dude keeps a little of the stuff from some training exercise, then gets home with it and dad says "No way, too dangerous"? Now, I was just an aircraft mechanic, so I've never seen anyone with explosives before, but I HAVE seen all manner of bits and pieces hardware and very small parts end up in people's pockets, backpacks, etc. And I would imagine some of that hardware, etc. got reused on cars, homes, bikes, etc. So, maybe this was something like that, but on a bigger (and dumber?) scale.

[E.Marquez]

Well best hope for him is this was a bone head mistake, and what he had is accountable and simply mishandled.
It still will not go well, in the end,, but not well is better then compleatly malasious with actions appropret.

Is it possible that the dude was taking it home after "appropriating it for further use"? Like, his dad needs to remove some stumps or something, dude keeps a little of the stuff from some training exercise, then gets home with it and dad says "No way, too dangerous"? Now, I was just an aircraft mechanic, so I've never seen anyone with explosives before, but I HAVE seen all manner of bits and pieces hardware and very small parts end up in people's pockets, backpacks, etc. And I would imagine some of that hardware, etc. got reused on cars, homes, bikes, etc. So, maybe this was something like that, but on a bigger (and dumber?) scale.

Absolutely possible, and this dudes "job" and prevailing attitudes about demo, and rules in general.. I would not rule that out at all...

Stuffing it in an assault pack and driving home to blow up a stump or beaver dam.. ya.. i can see that.. Taking it though Airport security?.. Again, no matter what,
1: We will never hear the whole unvarnished truth.
2: Even assuming no malicious intent, accidentally forgetting you have a block of C4 in your bag when walking off the range, then packing that bag for a trip, then going though airport security, maybe TWICE as he was on his way home.. That’s the panicle of stupid. Or like your theory goes, he took it only , for a non malicious use, and then knowingly taking it through airport security????
Soon enough there will be a story released.. I’ll venture to say, it will be someplace full story truth and outright lie.

Assuming no malicious intent, I wish him the best of luck in his situation.