sesame paste is now unobtainable in Iowa!

[Wisconsin Ann]

or at least..that's what one of the 3 people arrested in Phoenix, AZ appears to think.

http://www.kcci.com/r/28821143/detail.html

woman was caught taking a suspicious package through customs...cell phone attached to a package. She said she got it from some other person. The cops tracked down that man. He said HE got it from yet another man. By this time the cops have discovered that it's a tube of sesame paste with a cell phone attached to it..therefore not a REAL bomb

3rd person said yes, he did send the package to the US with another person (although he was there, too, I guess) but "I sent food to my friend to give it in Iowa, and unfortunately there was a cellphone in the food together. They say those things are illegal," said Gorado.

right. sure. Sesame paste is in such short supply in Iowa. I suppose they taped on the phone so that the recipient could then call to order more.

[JuliaAnn]

A test, to see what would happen...

[plowjockey]

I have no problem with the situation.

If it looked suspicious, then it's suspect. a cell phone can be used as a very effective remote bomb detonator.

If it was really an honest mistake (maybe it just seemed like a good place to attach an extra phone) and not done as a goof, or hoax, then they will get it sorted out.

This is what we are paying for.

[arabian knight]

I have not got any problem with it either. Just doing their job.

[HeelSpur]

I guess they figured out who
Da Man really was.

[Wisconsin Ann]

So I get the feeling that some of you think I DO have a problem with this?

I was just putting it up to get a conversation going.

[Beowulf]

I think it is fairly obvious that this was a test to see if they could get something that looks like a bomb through security. I also think it is fairly obvious that nothing illegal or dangerous was actually trying to get smuggled through.

This is a very sticky situation. One that has the most potential to erode just another tiny bit of our freedom. Criminal charges in this case would be just one of the pebbles in the avalanche of freedoms that we have willingly given up since 9/11/2001...

[Wisconsin Ann]

I believe that just the act of arresting them to find out the how and why, and the questioning, is enough. It also puts those 3 people in the system as "watch".

I agree that it's a sticky spot for the police types. and it's NOW obvious they weren't actually getting a bomb through..but at the time of the arrest of the woman, they thought it was filled with explosives. The authorities had no path to take but the one they did...trace it to the start.

Makes me wonder, tho, how many of these have gotten through before. And makes me wonder about the intelligence of the people trying...much easier to just cross the southern border with a whole backpack full.

[willow_girl]

When I worked for the TSA, we used to receive reports of these "dry runs" fairly often. It's the first time I've seen one reported in the media, though.

Another "test" popular a few years ago involved people leaving unattended packages in an airline terminal, then hanging around to see how long it took for them to be discovered, and what procedures were followed.

Chilling, isn't it?

[texican]

Sounds like someone should get a short visit to Guantanamo Bay... what rational person accepts a package from someone else, and goes through the airport... back when I was visiting airports, the insane droning of "don't accept packages from others" was blasted every five minutes...

....and taking a package with a cell phone attached??? Someone needs a good caning, publically, to make others realize the stupidity.

Why not just use playdough, wires, and a big old fashioned buzzer alarm clock??? could it be more obviously? stupid???

[Ken Scharabok]

I haven't flown internationally since before 9/11. Plans are to take over hand-luggage and a soft-sided roller suitcase, then leave the suitcase behind with relatives. Travel agent said if I come back with only carry-on, it is likely to raise an eyebrow or two.

[willow_girl]

Many people now fly only with carry-ons, since most airlines started charging extra for checked bags.

[rean]

Sesame paste is hard to find in NW Iowa. In fact I have to go out of state to Sioux Falls to get it!