"Parts of LAX shut down on security scare: reports"

Thursday, July 3, 2008

Bomb threat disrupts LAX, no explosive found
By JAMES BELTRAN
The Associated Press

 
A man was detained Wednesday on accusations of making a bomb threat to
police at Los Angeles International Airport, prompting authorities to ground
several flights and halt traffic into the area.

No explosives were found on the man or in a backpack he had, said FBI
spokeswoman Laura Eimiller.

The man, whose name was not released, walked up to an officer, dropped a
backpack at his feet outside the international terminal and made threats,
said police spokesman Jim Holcomb.

"He said, 'I'm a terrorist, I've got a bomb in the bag and I'm going to blow
it up now,'" Holcomb told The Associated Press. Holcomb described the man as
between 25 and 30 years old.

Holcomb said a police bomb squad squirted the bag with a water cannon and
the bag did not explode.

Authorities shut down traffic near the airport's terminal 3 while the threat
was investigated. Holcomb said flights at several terminals were also
grounded but that normal operations would likely resume by early afternoon.

Airport spokeswoman Nancy Castles said no one was evacuated from inside the
terminals but the upper and lower roadways near terminal 3 were closed.

Holcomb said the man was taken to the police station for questioning.

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