"Bomb Threat Closes Down Modesto, CA Airport"

Wednesday, November 29, 2006

Modesto airport reopens after bomb scare
The Associated Press


MODESTO, Calif. - Bomb investigators did not find any explosives at the
Modesto City-County Airport, which was evacuated Tuesday morning after the
city received nine e-mailed threats, police said.

"The airport has been secured and returned to normal operations," said
Modesto police Sgt. Craig Gundlach by afternoon, although he added that it
was unclear whether flights scheduled to depart that evening would take off
on time.

More than a dozen commercial flights were canceled, and employees and
passengers were evacuated, as police and federal officials completed a sweep
of the small airport with bomb-sniffing dogs, Gundlach said.

Authorities did not immediately release details about who sent the threats,
which were received by the city's Webmaster in the morning, or possible
motives.

"We thought them serious enough that we should take every precaution
necessary," Gundlach said.

SkyWest Airlines, which operates flights for United Airlines at the airport,
canceled 15 flights to and from Modesto on Tuesday, said SkyWest spokeswoman
Marissa Snow.

The FBI, Transportation Security Administration and U.S. Bureau of Alcohol,
Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were investigating.

ON THE NET

Modesto City-County Airport: http://www.modairport.com

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