Friday, August 12, 2011

Authorities search for motive in fake airport bomb

(August 12, 2010, myfoxphoenix)-- Police haven't ruled out the possibility of terrorism but say they still don't know the motive behind the fake bomb.

This booking photo released on Wednesday Aug. 10, 2011 by the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, shows (from left to right) Asa Shani, Shullu Gorado and Luwiza Daman. The three African refugees who were arrested after a fake bomb was found in one of their carry-on bags at Phoenix's airport on Friday Aug. 5, 2011. (AP Photo / Maricopa County Sheriff)


In a court document released to The Associated Press on Wednesday, one of the arresting officers wrote, "The suspicious package suggests subjects were testing airport security protocol."

Phoenix police Sgt. Steve Martos said Wednesday that the upcoming 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks raised police concern in relation to the incident. The refugees were being held in Marcicopa County jail on bonds of $75,000. They face felony charges of having a hoax device and conspiracy to obtain a hoax device, and police say more could be filed as the investigation develops.

The refugees are Luwiza Daman, a 51-year-old woman from Ethiopia who was living in Des Moines, Iowa; Shullu Gorado, a 25-year-old man from Eritrea; and Shani Asa, a 34-year-old also of Eritrea. Eritrea is a small country on the Red Sea that borders Ethiopia in the Horn of Africa.

Gorado and Asa were living at separate apartments in Phoenix, and it's unclear when they all arrived in the U.S. Daman, Gorado and Asa all declined to speak to The Associated Press on Wednesday through a sheriff's spokesman, and it's unclear whether any of them yet have lawyers. Read More from msnbc.msn »

No comments:

Post a Comment