TIA Passenger Had Box Cutter In Hollowed-Out Book
By Thomas W. Krause of The Tampa Tribune
Published: February 20, 2008

TAMPA - A 21-year-old Clearwater man was arrested at Tampa International Airport this weekend after security personnel found a box cutter in a hollowed-out book, authorities said.

If convicted, Baines faces up to 10 years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine for a federal charge of attempting to board an airplane with a concealed dangerous weapon. He is currently serving a 30 day sentence after pleading guilty Monday to a state misdemeanor charge of carrying a concealed weapon.

About 7:30 a.m. Sunday, airport security ran Benjamin Baines Jr.'s backpack through an X-ray machine and saw the image of a box cutter, according to a report from the Transportation Security Administration.

When searching the backpack, a security officer found a book titled "Fear Itself." The book was hollowed out, and the box cutter was inside.
After Baines was read his rights, he said his cousin had cut away the pages to make the hollow section in the book. Later, reports state, he said he had hollowed it out himself to hide money and marijuana from his roommates.
Baines told officers he was moving to Las Vegas and forgot the cutter was in the book.

Officers found books in the backpack titled "Muhammad in the Bible," "The Prophet's Prayer" and "The Noble Qur'an." He also had a copy of the Quran and the Bible.

Several sheets of paper in the backpack included rap lyrics that referred to police, narcotics, weapons and killing. Baines told officers he is a rapper who writes his own lyrics and that rap music writers need to "play the part," the report states.

Officers performed a background check and found no record of crimes or active warrants.

He was charged with carrying a concealed weapon and booked into Orient Road Jail. At his first appearance in court Monday, Baines pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 30 days in jail, according to an employee with the Hillsborough County clerk of court. He remained in Orient Road Jail today.
The U.S. Attorney's Office also filed a federal charge of attempting to board an aircraft with a concealed dangerous weapon. The federal charge against Baines was filed Sunday but was not announced until today, said Steve Cole, spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Tampa.

Cole said Baines will be arrested by U.S. marshals upon his release from jail on the state charge.

Reporter Thomas W. Krause can be reached at (813) 259-7698 or tkrause@tampatrib.com.

Another mentally challenged al qaida wannabee,cut from the same cloth as that shoe bomber nutjob.

I'm tellin'ya,used to be alot safer when these psychos were institutionalised

Jftc.

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Of course he's innocent...

...any innocent person would accidentally board a jet with a book designed to conceal contraband...and forget about the box cutter inside (who really uses one on a regular basis anyway??!!!).

Oh yeah, lets also board the plane with some books of interest regarding the Muslim religion...in light of the over-zealous profiling of Muslims being coupled with terrorism anyway.

And let's leave the brain at home, shall we?

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In February of 2001 I went to Thailand to visit my son. Along the way, in Japan and Bangkok, I went through some pretty extensive security checks. "Stand on top of this box, while we pat you down" kind of stuff. Remember, this was before 9-11. While into my visit at my sons', I came across a full box of .22 hollow point bullets IN MY CARRYON ! Don't know how everyone missed it. I had completely forgotten about putting it there, and could probably still be in some Japanese or Thailand prison meeting many new friends.

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I'm far more curious as to the reason he attempted to bring the knife on board. As a single individual, he's got very little capability of inflicting any serious damage to the aircraft or the flight crew.

Sure, he could hurt a few people before the passengers pounded him........but........I still don't see the benefit here.

I wonder if he was instructed to make the attempt as a test case........see how tight the security is.........???

That's something that I have heard about -- suspected probing by innocent people. IMO that's one reason they ask if anybody gave you anything to carry onboard.

this guy strikes me as a nutjob. Don't know why, maybe because it wasn't immediately federalized.

But you know what? I hope he's the real-deal Al Qaedista.

If he is then that is living proof how much the organization has degraded since 9/11. It would make me feel very good indeed, if he turns-out to be the best they could do.

B

Good thought, Bot. I think that would be a good sign.

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