Tampa airline Passenger Had Box Cutter In Hollowed-Out Book

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

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.

[Sprailenes 47]

I like how some people try so hard to talk themselves out of situations where they are clearly guilty.

[athena_ny 1]

This was in the paper on Tuesday here...I thought this would have already been posted.

I live in Clearwater. I knew I kept my doors locked for a reason.

[Nagishkaw 510]

I like how some people try so hard to talk themselves out of situations where they are clearly guilty.

Yep.

Im happy he got busted.

[Jason-Sasha 1]

Just another case of a confused, converted fanatic or extremist. Loved his excuse, but reading the titles to all of the books he had sends only one thought into my mind. Sorry. I know terrorists give Islam and Muslims a bad name, but people like this dont help either. Cant just turn a blind eye to it. It is what it is. Hope he gets the chair!!

[♥JP♥ 5]

Did he actually think he wouldnt get caught?

[Caladan 19]

All of the books they *reported* he had (if I was moving, my whole library has books on any number of topics, including some on Islam.) They probably had to come up with something to make it newsworthy after he turned out to have an Anglophone last name. Absent a connection to terrorism, I'm loath to see carrying the Bible as proof of religious extremism.

Good to see that if he is a terrorist, he's a dumb one at least.

[Dan J 277]

Just another case of a confused, converted fanatic or extremist. Loved his excuse, but reading the titles to all of the books he had sends only one thought into my mind. Sorry. I know terrorists give Islam and Muslims a bad name, but people like this dont help either. Cant just turn a blind eye to it. It is what it is. Hope he gets the chair!!

So if he was carrying a bible instead, he would be all good?

[Krikit 1,165]

Just another case of a confused, converted fanatic or extremist. Loved his excuse, but reading the titles to all of the books he had sends only one thought into my mind. Sorry. I know terrorists give Islam and Muslims a bad name, but people like this dont help either. Cant just turn a blind eye to it. It is what it is. Hope he gets the chair!!

Speaking of extreme.... lol

[Jenn! 918]

I like how some people try so hard to talk themselves out of situations where they are clearly guilty.

Right? Maybe he's an actor researching a role, Winona style.

[Jaseball 0]

Did he actually think he wouldnt get caught?

You would be surprised how many ways there are to get past security. Think of that job. You are bored like 99.9999% of the time, but required to give the utmost attention to each person and package. You screw up even .0001% of the time and something bad could happen.

Really, really stupid here though. I mean the plastic explosive in the shoe guy was a pretty crazy, but clever idea. What the heck is this one guy thinking he was going to do with a box cutter or did he just want to 'play as a terrorist,' and then have a story to write about?

[lucyrich 20]

What was he expecting to do, other than get himself in lots of trouble?

These days, a box cutter can't possibly be enough weapon to hijack a plane. In order to hijack a plane, you've got to get people to cooperate. That's always been true. Before Sept 11, 2001, it was fairly easy to get people to cooperate, because everyone thought that cooperation would be the safest route to a landing. But the rules have changed. Now, nobody's going to cooperate, no matter what. Passengers and crew know that their lives depends on disabling or killing the hijacker at all costs.

A person armed with a box cutter might be able to cut a few people, and perhaps cause some serious injuries, maybe even kill someone. But when the mob attacks the hijacker, someone will get that box cutter away.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

What was he expecting to do, other than get himself in lots of trouble?

These days, a box cutter can't possibly be enough weapon to hijack a plane. In order to hijack a plane, you've got to get people to cooperate. That's always been true. Before Sept 11, 2001, it was fairly easy to get people to cooperate, because everyone thought that cooperation would be the safest route to a landing. But the rules have changed. Now, nobody's going to cooperate, no matter what. Passengers and crew know that their lives depends on disabling or killing the hijacker at all costs.

A person armed with a box cutter might be able to cut a few people, and perhaps cause some serious injuries, maybe even kill someone. But when the mob attacks the hijacker, someone will get that box cutter away.

Excellent points. This guy was an idiot, but not a hijacker.

[Krikit 1,165]

What was he expecting to do, other than get himself in lots of trouble?

These days, a box cutter can't possibly be enough weapon to hijack a plane. In order to hijack a plane, you've got to get people to cooperate. That's always been true. Before Sept 11, 2001, it was fairly easy to get people to cooperate, because everyone thought that cooperation would be the safest route to a landing. But the rules have changed. Now, nobody's going to cooperate, no matter what. Passengers and crew know that their lives depends on disabling or killing the hijacker at all costs.

A person armed with a box cutter might be able to cut a few people, and perhaps cause some serious injuries, maybe even kill someone. But when the mob attacks the hijacker, someone will get that box cutter away.

Methinks that someone who's crazy enough to be a terrorist is probably not a logical thinker to begin with.

[MaRob 0]

I have heard that some of the strategy used by terrorists is to go through security with things just to find out what they can get through with, usually the plastic stuff, but who knows? Glad they caught him! A shinning moment for TSA