US Marine arrested at Logan

What was he thinking.

He must be one of those right wing nut jobs the Dept. of Homeland Security is warning us about.

What was TSA doing in Las Vegas? How could they miss all that explosive power?? So many people could have been killed because of incompetence - it was only because of the (good) error that his bags were detoured through screening at Logan. Lucky us! I love soldiers but throw the damn book at this creep... he's dangerous. If he was on the up 'n up, he would have 'declared' his weapons/substances as is the law.

Re TSA not finding the guns at Las Vegas, you get what you pay for. Would anyone in private industry ever hire a TSA screener? If you only pay minimum wage, you will not get intelligent and attentive employees.

This is so stupid. They were in his checked baggage. What the heck was he going to do go down to the cargo during the flight. This sounds like a bunch of really dumb TSA employees and cops (wait a minute that's redundant that's like saying wet water or hot fire) flexing their muscles. This is really lame. Thank you for your service to our country Corporal Reed now we would like to lock you up and make sure that we aren't offending any muslims that are trying to board the plane.

'Infernal Machine'?

THE START OF THE RIGHT WING EXTREMEIST!!!!

Okay, this stuff isn't funny, but . .

The weapons were only discovered because the baggage was misrouted?

Somebody cue Conan.

Great. A real warrior, on our side, gets pinched for brinning home war trophies etc.

Classic. So it was only through a screw up that the materials were even found. God bless the TSA. Keeping America safe. Accidentally.

I guess someone in Vegas muffed up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, all I have to say is that is one very unintelligent marine! Am sure he will be in big trouble with the military as well! It'll be interesting to hear just why he was carrying all these items and what he planned to do with them. His motives cannot be for the good of others. Yep, one dumb, dumb marine!

It's nice he has hobbies.

Not good!
Especially when the kooks are claiming terrorists hide within our military ranks.

Check out the requirements for transporting a weapon in checked baggage.

kind of makes you think about the radio fathead's ballistic response to the homeland security's report about potential homegrown terrorist recruiting possibilities. that some of our soldiers could return from tours in the most horrendous and dangerous assignments on the world scene and not find employment or medical services available stateside and become susceptible to anti-american propaganda is not difficult to imagine and was appropriately underscored by an agency charged with this responsibility.

what is the radio fathead's solution: no more taxes to support care and treatment for our returning troups. let them wrok and pay for their own treatment!

what a jerk!

Damm, Another attempt at getting the Red Sox is spoiled...

"Possession of an infernal machine"??? Who writes the criminal code?

DHS was right.

Maybe Rush and his ilk will shut up now.

I guess what went on in Vegas, didn't stay in Vegas.

Sounds like another INNOCENT VICTIM fingered by the DHS - Dept of Humongous Stupidity!

Hey. He's a jarhead. Aren't they supposed to carry that stuff?

well, so much for security in Las Vegas!

Feeling kind of safe that TSA is there doing a fine job screen them bags. Sure there was a little mistake at Las Vegas. If they did not mess the bags up in Boston they would have kept going. Great job TSA (you buch of clowns)

Wao! this guy was like "Terminator 4"

I see the leftards are here to make their usual stupid comments.

I wonder what they didn't find?

Obviously dumb to transport them but you couldn't blow a hole in a plane with a few model rocket engines... hell, I light those off for the 4th of July. And I am hardly a a right winger... I drive a Prius with an Obama bumper sticker. If he gets more than I fine I'd be surprised. This is just another 24hr media storm in a teacup. And only at Logan would a discovery be precipitated by a baggage mistake.

he's 22. of course he's stupid.

It's very sad that the commentary regarding this incident sinks into the realm of partisan stupidity. Right wing nut jobs, with a pathetic command of the English language, defend the right of a damaged (probably a classic PTSD case) veteran to blow up the world (on the anniversary of Columbine no less). While lefties use the opportunity to attack fat, bloviating, talk show hosts. Let's get this poor soul into treatment. Then, let's end our imperialist misadventures so no more poor kids have to end up psychologically damaged and in stir.

He had a handgun in a locked case in his checked baggage.
He had ammunition.
He had electronic equipment.

All in checked baggage (not accessible while on the plane)

Why is he being charged?

I thought what happened in Vegas stayed in Vegas.

Oh noes, he's a terririst! he checked hand guns on flight!

...never mind that it is legal, you just have to fill out paperwork and he didn't. Nothing to see here, move along...

Guns and ammunition are legal in checked baggage--just fill out the paperwork. But "switches, electronics kit boxes with various components"...! Boston cops... Aqua Teen Hunger Force... Star Simpson... "We're too dumb to understand it, so it must be a bomb."

I'd say this Marine has some splainin' to do. The gun and ammo if it were declared when he initially boarded, perhaps he needed to declare it again in Boston. But the rocket motors and a hand grenade detonator? That is stuff that should not be on a flight in checked baggage ever.

Now I see the comments by our left oriented friends here, and I know you have a point. But if the shoe were on the other foot, It would certainly have crossed your mind that this incident is very convenient on the heels of the DHS report debacle. Just puttin that out there.

Why is he being charged?
It is against the law.

Duh!

Just what kind of soldiers are we hiring nowadays?

I wonder which side he really wants to fight on.

I'm a Marine and I must say that what this Cpl did was not bright. It doesn't matter that he's a Marine or a "war hero" he had all the coponents to cause some serious harm.

Why did he have them I dunno, but I will say that it wasn't just because he, "wanted to keep them". Common sense people, you should know that you can't take that kind of stuff on a plane even if it's checked material. The fact that he's a Marine doesn't give him an excuse for what he's done and he'll probably get NJP'd for what did as well.

Logan TSA aren't the brightest candles in the box. On our last trip through that joke of a security check point they pulled my wife and I aside wearing shorts and flip-flops. They took our flip flops aside for further analysis then ran a metal detector over our bare legs looking for bombs! Idiots! This poor guy has done nothing wrong and is getting slammed. TSA - Total Sham Authority!

Homeland Security really does not want to recognize the court decision ruling that model rocket engine propellants are in fact not explosive, and not generally under their jurisdiction.

Dumb as hell given the current climate of fear. The explosive content would be about enough to make a big noise and make one's hand into a fireworks safety ad if one held these and lit them off. Hardly national headline news in this reader's opinion.

Arraigned on Tuesday - hope someone bails him out so at least he can attend the reenactment.

I won't comment on any Marine, because I'm not one.

However, those TSA clowns need not be employed in this line of work.

TSA now means: "Transportation Security" "Accidentally"

I know the bomb dogs did not find them! They just cut back on bomb dogs at airports to save money.... Can you say stupid!

and guess what -- if if was only a matter of not filing out the right paperwork or if TSA MISHANDLED THE PAPERWORK - we will never know for the news media will not report it

As a musician that travels frequently, I am constantly amazed at the inconsistency, and outright ignorance of the TSA process & employees. A recent trip saw the TSA trying to tell me that I probably could not board a plane because I had a large studio microphone in my carry-on baggage. In their opinion, this VERY expensive microphone could be used as a weapon... yeah right - that's how the terrorist musicians are planning to take over the world...

They weren't amused when I pointed out that a pencil, in the right hands, can kill you easier than a brick up side the head.

Bottom line, cooler heads (i.e. the TSA manager) prevailed, and I was on to my gig. Can't wait to see the next flight...

OK so overlooked paperwork is one thing. It's enough to get anyone locked up, this guy included... but it's not necessarily terrorism...

On the other hand a grenade detonator IS a bomb. Pull-type fuses ARE bomb components, good for NOTHING except bombs. Model-rocket engines are the most easily available low-order detonators available to the general public, most likely the primary component of a remotely-detonated explosive device.

Therefore he was making bombs or soon to be making bombs. No way around it, there's no other explanation for those devices.

Toss him in prison.

And start serious baggage examinations of returning military personnel for pete's sake!

It's obvious that this is a test for the airport screeners. How could he have gotten past the screeners in Vegas in the first place...because they purposely let him through on a connecting flight to see how far he can get before he got caught. From time to time we must test the readiness of our airport screening systems, don't we??? Otherwise how could we be sure that they work???

First I am in the Air Force and I respect the hell outta the marines. Second none of the items he had are illegal to carry anywhere. so a form was filled out. Ok sorry about the mistake, fill out the forms and carry on. The fuse assembly of a hand grenade??? cmon anyone who has been in the service has some crap lying around that's been demil'd. electrical components with switches, holy crap he might have had a radio!!!! call in the f'n cavalry (DHS) to take down anyone with electronics. The TSA has done nothing to make America safer. I'm dubious as to whether half of them even have a decent education. The fact ismost people are comfortable with the illusiuon of safety

Gotta admit, living in a state that predates our nation itself sometimes has hilarious side-effects... such as the possibility of being charged with "possession of an infernal machine"... Um, wtf?

For those that are curious, here are the details of the term and charge, straight out of Chapter 266, Section 102A of the General Laws of Massachusetts:

CHAPTER 266. CRIMES AGAINST PROPERTY

Chapter 266: Section 102A. Infernal machine; possession; definition; notice of seizure

Section 102A. Whoever, other than a police or other law enforcement officer acting in the discharge of his official duties, has in his possession or under his control an infernal machine or a similar instrument, contrivance or device shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not more than ten years or in jail for not more than two and one half years, or by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars, or by both such fine and imprisonment, and the said machine, instrument, contrivance or device shall be forfeited to the commonwealth. The term “infernal machine”, as used in this section, shall include any device for endangering life or doing unusual damage to property, or both, by fire or, explosion, whether or not contrived to ignite or explode automatically and whether or not disguised so as to appear harmless. Notice of the seizure of any such machine, instrument, contrivance or device shall be sent forthwith to the commissioner of public safety and the article seized shall be subject to his order.

Huh. A Marine's job is to fight, shoot people and blow stuff up. He's doing all the right stuff, just get him back on base!

Jay says "This is so stupid. They were in his checked baggage. What the heck was he going to do go down to the cargo during the flight."

Using a little imagination, you can envision him doing something in an airport while NOT on a flight, like in the baggage claim area?

As has been pointed out, one of the best points to blow up a bunch of people would be at the security checkpoints when BOARDING a flight.

This one is for Dave...Comment 39. Thanks for taking the time to run your mouth about nothing. TSA Boston, if I read the article correctly, FOUND the gun and explosive material. Thank you again for making your self look like a complete fool. Most people would be happy about this sort of thing. Clearly you just like to hear your self talk. Oh and by the way, your welcome for making your skies safer!

Wow, this kid is dumb dumb dumb. That sort of stuff does NOT belong on a passenger aircraft, regardless of what he planned on doing with that explosive concoction once he landed. I would much rather be sitting next to some praying Imams then some stupid kid who thinks it is all right to bring explosives onto an aircraft.

""Possession of an infernal machine"??? Who writes the criminal code?"

Literate people. An Infernal (capable of causing fire) Machine (mechanical device). It's sad that we've become so illiterate in this country that we don't recognize a word that has been abused as a colloquialism when it's used correctly.

Guess this gets chalked up to a case of two wrongs making a right...

just so every one on here knows. this guy is my friends husband. he was just on a flight home to see his wife and child before he left for a deployment in iraq. his hand gun had all the right paper work, it was locked up,its not like he was carying it onto the plane. he was bringing it to his home from where he had been stationed. and as for the other stuff none of it is illegal for him to have. my bet would be more than likely that he didnt even realize most of it was in his bag. these marines are having to handle this stuff on a daily basis. so for every one who is amking him sound like some sort of terrorist ( this includes the media) please quit trying to paint such a nagetive picture of people before you know the whole story. he is a marine. he became one to protect american.... not hurt them. instead maybe people sould instead be praying for his families who's lives may be ruined over over blown event!

This boy is serving our country...
At least let him see the judge before he gets sent off to Obama camp.

People wake up. This story and it's content was fabricated to help prove the points of the left. You people need to start analyizing for yourselves and stop taking what the left wing media tells you.
Use the God given brains you were born with!!

Can anyone actually verify that the items "discovered" in his luggage were actually his? I mean, he could reasonably claim that the items were not, in fact, in his luggage when he initially checked it in: the TSA checked and cleared his bags. They have no prayer of convicting him, regardless of what happened.

The handgun and ammo were placed in his baggage properly. The rocket engines and fuses and electronics might have been for the upcoming amateur rocket launch festival in Virginia on April 25th.
The rocket engines, electronics and fuses are all legal to own and carry.
I have no idea what the heck an "infernal machine" is!!
His only problem was that he didn't "declare" the items and that may have been because he already had in Vegas!

he can always say that he has ptsd and get away with it...he's too smart for us. if he got his bag you never would of heard about it. and his motives? illegal or not hes a marine. lay off, you know? what are you gonna do, lock up a marine! its a joke. sounds to me like he demands respect

What a coincidence to hear about vets who might go rogue with right-wing encouragement, and then to find this, somehow missed at Vegas. The makings of explosive devices - IED's you might say. Wow. But innocent until proven guilty. Why is he being arraigned in Muni Court, rather than have this be a federal case? I don't get it. Do the feds not want it? Was he set up? To run with it as though he really was planning something is premature. It might be he is as surprised as anyone to find that stuff turn up in his luggage. That's what I'd tell the judge.

I'm with E. Medeiros. This should not be a right or left wing hit job. It's fair to say this Jarhead is an idiot. If he declared the firearm and ammo he would bein the clear. Transporting explosive material is another matter. A cargo electrical short, oxygen canister malfunction, fuel tank spark, etc. could make matters much worse with the contents of his "duffle bag". There are laws on the books against packing these. If you feel so strongly that its okay for a true blue citizen to pack dynamite inside his Samsonite, start with your representative and convince America to modifiy TSA rules. Stop defending this guy's (hero or not) actions

THE ONLY ONE TO BLAME ARE THE TSA FOR NOT DOING THERE JOB, PLUS WHAT HARM CAN HE DO IF HIS BAGS WERE GOING TO BE AT THE BELLY OF PLANE BUT THE MEDIA AS ALWAYS WANTS TO MAKE A BIGGER STORY OF IT.................

"Great. A real warrior, on our side, gets pinched for brinning home war trophies etc.
Posted by Citypoinner April 19, 09 08:13 PM"

He's not a "warrior," he's a marine. And they are "war trophies?" From Las Vegas? The trophies most warriors bring home from Las Vegas are STDs.

He broke the law. He's not Muslim, but he broke the law. Live with it. He will.

A bag with that much potential firepower and possible bomb making pieces, regardless if they were intended to blow up the plane, should NEVER have made it into the belly of the plane. Great job Boston TSA!
I dare any of these blowhard knee jerk right wingers to board a flight knowing this was below their seat. Railing against the TSA in any instance is just ignorant. They did their job and kept YOUR flight safe from a potential threat.
Next time, try to put some thought into your anti-TSA ranting...

Something here doesn't add up... if his baggage was checked in Las Vegas presumably it stayed checked until Logan where it was inadvertently searched again, Corporal Reed is charged by the state police with "possession of an infernal machine" .... how can the state charge him with possession when he never possessed the bag in state? Last time he possessed whatever infernal machine he possessed he would've been in Las Vegas, which would be out of jurisdiction. Should've been charged federally if there is an actual crime here.

With regard to the comment:
"I guess someone in Vegas muffed up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
What if the TSA agent in Vegas who was responsible for screening this bag was a conspirator???
With rocket motors and a hand grenade detonator this guy could not possibly have been up to anything good. And on the anniversary of Columbine massacre (which is Monday)! VERY lucky he was caught!

I sure do hope he gets his gun back because we'll need him in our ranks when we try to get rid of some of this big government that is upon us.....
Semper Fi!

I always FedEx ahead my ammo, explosives and beer. No prob checking an unloaded declared firearm, so that goes on the plane. Sorry this guy got caught, but clearly he's an amateur.

Another good show by the law enforcement community in Boston: you can't rely on them to show up when 5 criminals are pounding on your door so they can have their way with you (true story) but they can pick off a veteran who lived with guns and ammo 24-7 and is so used to rides on military planes he forgets civilian paperwork... Oh, he's white with a crew cut which must mean he is also a white supremacist. Chances are TSA in Vegas waved him through because out there they give veterans the benefit of the doubt, unlike Harvard and it's local ilk.

Apparently it is not the "veterans" we should be worried about as Homeland "Security" suggests, but as a veteran I sure do appreciate the presumption of being labeled a radical. What a novel idea!

It is not a crime to possess any of these things. Motive and intent are clearly lacking, and since the items were in his checked luggage, he had no way to access them. If they were assembled as an explosive device, the Feds would have made a big deal of it. As it is, the kid forgot to fill out some paperwork. Poor judgment, not terrorism.

Given that he's ready to risk his life for all the sorry-a$$ critics here, you could try cutting a Marine some slack. TSA is designed to control and cattle-ize Americans, not terrorists. Judging from the stink of paranoia and sheepledom evident here, TSA iand DHS are doing a great job of keeping us all skeered, the easier to control us.

"I won't comment on any Marine, because I'm not one.

However, those TSA clowns need not be employed in this line of work.

TSA now means: "Transportation Security" "Accidentally"
Posted by Rich April 19, 09 10:59 PM"

So you're TSA?

Isn't it great? I'm sure this is just some basic misunderstanding, but the timing is perfect. All the right-wingers getting their knickers in a knot because DHS is looking for terrorists and saying that vets could be a potential target for fringe groups, and this guy, a soldier, gets caught with suspicious items.... just like a little while ago, Bobby Jindal, in his "answer" to Obama's speech complained about using funds for volcano monitoring, and sure enough, as if in answer, the volcano in Alaska went off. Maybe God hates Republicans?

Well I am a retired Marine and a former LE officer. NO ONE can have active bomb making supplies unless he had a real good excuse such as he was an instructor travelling to present a class on IED'S. etc. Even then, he should have declared the components. What he has done is a serious felony and he may well get a lot more than a slap on the wrist by the feds and the Corps. There may be other evidence that we are unaware of so we should not rush to judgement. He may have declared it somewhere for example and due to the routing, it did not get passed on.

Is he black, brown or muslim? Once we get confirmation of any of those, you Republcians can start screaming TERRORIST. If he's not, then just make excuses for him or ignore him like you do with all other that don't fit the mold of terrorist you love to hate.

Sounds like he was doing some side jobs using his USMC uniform as cover.

questions seem to be (I'm not taking TSA's blurb as factual yet)

1. was the pistol declared , if not it was missef by original baggage checkers.

2. are toy rocket engine fuel allowable on planes ?

3. grenade detonator?

Gives MASSTAPO troop F boys a little more exceitement tjan yelling at old women to move their cars I guess
an infernal machine lol, great name

Stop and think, legally checked in Las Vegas, not legal in Boston.......Sorry thought both cities were in the same country (USA), same TSA, same Homeland Security rules and regulations.

You know what? It's better safe than sorry. Anyone is capable of anything, at any time. What if this guy was going to Boston to blow someone or something up? Sure it will probably work out for the best, if he had no intentions of illegal activity. But, I'd rather see him caught and freed than someone not caught, and cause havoc.

TSA, hire people that can pay attention please.

I'd like to point out to those of you who have said that this is normal stuff and required only a form. You are wrong. Live ammunition is prohibited on all flights 100% of the time. There is no form you can fill out which allows you to take live ammunition in your checked bag.

Hand grenade detonators are explosives. Explosives of any kind are prohibited on all flights 100% of the time. There is no form you can fill out which allows you to take explosives in your checked bag.

Model rocket engines are incindiary devices. Incindiary devices (other than matches or a lighter) are prohibited on all flights 100% of the time. There is no form you can fill out which allows you to take incendiary devices in your checked bag.

Dude is going down. Stop making excuses for this man.

My fear is that he got the goods past TSA in Las Vegas, not due to oversight or negligence, but due to somebody being paid to look the other way. Our security is only as good as the integrity of the agents hired to do the job.

Dear God people the DHS report was done under BUSH. Jeez. Google it for yourself. What the MSM ommits from their stories is just (or more) important than what they report.

For those of you who only read all caps: BUSH ADMINISTRATION DID THE DHS REPORT.

Sorry, friendtothemarines, but you're wrong. If he had an active grenade detonator and fuses, then at least some of the stuff he had WAS illegal for him to have (and some was illegal to have in his baggage). Yes, soldiers and marines handle this stuff all the time, but they can't just take it with them wherever they want. Items such as that are strictly controlled, and, except for their use in the execution of his duties, he had no reason nor legal right to be in possession of them. He was in violation of Marine Corps regulations when he removed them from wherever he obtained them, and he was in violation of the law when he transported them off-post.

Those are bomb components, with no other designed purpose, and along with the other materials (some of which, like the rocket motors, have nothing to do with his military status) are extremely strong evidence of an intent to make a bomb. Maybe that wasn't his intent, but given the combination of items he was carrying, he's going to have a very hard time convincing the authorities it wasn't, just as you'd have a hard time convincing them you weren't planning an armed robbery if they catch you going into a store with a ski mask over your face in the middle of summer and nothing but a gun in your pocket. There might be an innocent explanation, but only a moron would believe it.

What was this guy going to do with this suff
after he gets where he was going????

I'm a left winger to the core first of all. Maybe he was just carrying the stuff without nefarious reasons. I could imagine a marine pressed for time maybe taking his chances without declaring stuff. Maybe the switches and rocket stuff was for a project. Maybe he's a wanna be engineer. Declaring everyone is some kind of homegrown terrorist is counter productive. See what happens and be thankful no one was hurt. At the very least he is just a dumb kid.

Also just look at how well our HSA doesn't work. He was only examined because of an error. Imagine how much stuff that gets though everyday. Our national security is a complete joke.

Wait kids...he declared properly in Las Vegas, and was boarded properly.
Is it true that Napolitano declared all troops terrorists?
She did that in Arizona in a 911 memorial years ago, the first time.
The Arizona taxpayers made her tear it down, and list the names of those killed in the towers and other attacks instead, People called her Nanny 911 on steroids after that. She called the US deserving of the 911 attacks, apparently.

"There is no form you can fill out which allows you to take live ammunition in your checked bag."

You sir are absolutely wrong. Live ammunition is permitted in checked baggage up to the airline specified limit (generally 11lbs, but Air Alaska allows 50 lbs) provided it is in original factory cases. Although a form is required for firearms in checked luggage, no form is required for ammunition. Certain ammunition components (powder and primers) may not be transported in luggage except as part of assembled ammunition.

"Hand grenade detonators are explosives. Explosives of any kind are prohibited on all flights 100% of the time. There is no form you can fill out which allows you to take explosives in your checked bag.":

Correct.

"Model rocket engines are incindiary devices. Incindiary devices (other than matches or a lighter) are prohibited on all flights 100% of the time. There is no form you can fill out which allows you to take incendiary devices in your checked bag."

Correct again.

Your error rate is 33%.

At least he wasn't in possession of the much more dangerous " confounded dablastet infernal machine"

ScreenName (UserName) "FattyFatty2x4" is correct.

This was a viewed as an 'opportunity' by some higher-ed 'genius-experts' to FAKE 'crisis' and FAKE 'indispensibility,' single-out an individual and turn that individual into their PawnOfWar merely to SCORE some 'political-point' in self-importance.

Risk your life for your country, return to it, get hammered as 'negative' against 'positive's merciless positive-cross-signs in blatant anti-christ messaging, using the points of their own hypocritical forked-tongues as nails, nonstop ideological crucifiXtion, the process called, "FigurativeCarpentry," the epitome of LEGISLATED-TYRANNY. It's a CRUSADE, a REAL one, not a FAKE one.

It's outrageous.

Kind Regards,
3Ons

a locked handgun box containing a semi-automatic handgun, a fully loaded gun magazine, several boxes of 9 mm and 7.62 mm ammunition, three model rocket engines containing an explosive mixture, military pull-type fuses, switches, electronics kit boxes with various components, and a hand grenade fuse assembly with detonator.

So I am to understand the magazine was not in the gun (it can't fire). The ammo was in boxes. The rocket engines and the ammo are of little threat unless burned in a fire, like a plane crash and there is usually little to no survivability for fiery plane crashes so these offer no real threat to the passengers!

What was he thinking bringing an explosive mixture, military pull-type fuses, switches, electronics kit boxes with various components, and a hand grenade fuse assembly with detonator on a plane. Dumb dumb, dumb, why did he have these with him. He would have only been given a stern warning without that crap.

Obviously he would be well qualified for a baggage screening position. :(

Well, we shot the messenger, and so the message was lost.

Right wingers are actively recruiting returning vets. This does not mean Veterans are bad, just that they are being targeted.

And if what this young man did is without any good reason, then, obviously a few are responding to the right wing recruiters.

A shame it was found accidentally, however, GOD is good, and despite what many think, is looking out for us all.

Thanks Rob B, after reviewing an airline site, I stand corrected. A passenger can take ammunition in checked baggage if declared and properly stored. A full magazine of course is not proper storage at any rate, so this will be another criminal count against this man.

But a passenger cannot take explosive grenade detonators nor model rocket incindiary devices on any flight.

Seems pretty silly- US Marines have weapons. This was in his checked baggage. Paranoia has gone to new heights in myopic Boston.

I'm sure all of that stuff was going to be used for patriotic reasons, right wingnuts?

I just read on the Herald that he was carrying "several hundred rounds of military 7.62 ammunition"; so much for "accidental" or just an "innocent mistake". That alone would have weighed dozens of pounds and taken up a significant amount of room in his luggage. It'd be like "accidentally" packing a cinder block or two in your luggage. Even if he wasn't guilty of several other felonies, he's obviously guilty of stealing military property.

meh

Marines need to get "model rocket engines" to protect the country?

THIS IS BS - This is a Story trying to Justify The FBI findings how stupid can you people be? This is a SEE TOLD YOU SO - told about the FBI report

You train a boy to be a killer, this is what you get. What do you expect a trained killer to carry? Reading material by Gandhi? Amazing that anyone is an apologist for this man. No wonder this country is killing itself, one by one, in an escalation of domestic shootings.

Bill, US Marines are only allowed to have weapons when they are needed in the performance of their duties. At all other times the military is very restrictive (ridiculously so, even) in their policies on servicemen having weapons. They have absolutely NO special reason or dispensation to be armed when not actively performing combat or training duty, and, by military regulations, often have LESS authority to be armed than the rest of us. He's absolutely not allowed to be in possession of military ordnance while off-duty, and having it off-post while traveling on a commercial flight means he stole it.

So the guy has some baggage, don't we all?
It is amazing to me to see the lefties pounce all over this.
In less than 4 years aviation security will be the least of our worries, trust me. We'll be too broke to spend any dough on it and anyway no one will care about attacking us.

Take a bow Obama!

Viva la revolucion...

The Marine has never served in Iraq. The Marine was able to access the weapons because he instructs on how to use them. He was in the wrong for taking the weapons off base.

He will be dealt with accordingly.

We are the world's finest fighting force, however, we are not idiot proof.

OK, as a soldier of the past 22 years... In the Corps, you are issued a weapon, and ammunition, you take it with you when you transfer from one location to another. That is your weapon for the duration of you time in service, unless it is replaced by the service for some reason. Odds are, he did declare the materials (locked case for the weapons, which is the requirement...) but the documentation was not attached to the luggage, had it been, along with the other required tags, the baggage would NOT have been taken off the aircraft and sent to baggage claim in the wrong airport. As for the other items, I know of several uses for the model rocket engines. But before you decide on guilt or innocence (what ever happend to innocent until proven guilty?) how about trying to get all the information about what was going on and what had been done and where it was done?

Maybe if the DHS put more of their budget into checking baggage than into writing reports about Obama;s political opposition.....just saying...

so a marine was arrested because he has a model rocket hobby? im not even worried about the gun. hes a marine. and it was in a locked box. in his checked baggage. in the storage area. where he isnt going to get to it.

once again a reminder of how people are screwed over by the system on a daily basis.
semper fi devil dog!

Some folks do dumb things or maybe things that are dumb.
2nd amendment was for muskets, not semi-automatics!!

Just one thing to say, What happens in Vegas should stay in Vegas and not come to Logan Airport in Boston.

The stuff was in his check in luggage, and if you've ever been in the military, infantry in particular, the stuff was not inherently dangerous. I doubt he was either. Just bad judgement.

Thank God. I understood what that Homeland Security warning was all about (PS: they had earlier talked about possilbe left-wing radicals). I have two friends who were in the Marines and one who was in the army. Although they are all wonderful people, there are some crazies out there and a tiny fraction of crazies in the military... and they were the first to talk to me about it, or at least one was. Think Timothy McVeigh... It's scary. The overwhelming majority of our men and women overseas are absolutely amazing, selfless people. I really hope this was some misunderstanding or that there was a legitimate reason for all this, but I seriously doubt that... Thank God for Logan Airport.

I'm all for innocent until proven guilty, but, just because he's a Marine does not mean he's presumed innocent without any further detail. We have to wait for ALL the details and then make an informed decision. The Marine's have to play by the rules too.

I am very liberal, but clearly this guy is the victim here. I know plenty of soliders and they are always carrying crazy stuff around.... at least they know how to handle it. Sounds like the baggage mix-up did him in. I hope these charges are dropped and he gets home to his family!

Why does the TSA hate our troops?

Merriam Webster:
Main Entry: infernal machine
Function: noun
Date: 1810
: a machine or apparatus maliciously designed to explode and destroy life or property ; especially : a concealed or disguised bomb

Ok, there has to be a reason he did this. My husband had to deploy through Logan a few years back and he was required to carry certain weapons on the trip. Although he did need to have them checked first! maybe this guy wasnt told exactly what he needed to do while in LV. This could be somewhat innocent. This is probably some young kid who thought he was doing the right thing when traveling and was misinformed. Everyone relax! Im sure the TSA and the cops are just trying to look like the big bad guys right now.

Tea Bagger protest?

Model rocketry is not infernal.

"infernal machine" (?)

BTW, this is reminiscent of Timothy McVeigh.
Someone should stay on top of this and investigate further.
I dare bet we'll find out this one listened to right-wing talk radio spittle just like McVeigh imbibed Rush Limbaugh 3-hours/day and his constant derision of the federal gov't at the time.

Rigth-wing radio host Rush Limbaugh and his ilk are like radical Imams advocating hate and fear of their country's gov't and accentuate misunderstanding to in order to justify their 3-hr/day hate campaign.

In a country such as ours, where guns are readily accessible all one needs to do is berate the ignorant and desperate on what one feels is their enemy. In the case of Limbaugh it was federal gov't then and it is pro-democratic, progressive gov't now.

It is what happened with McVeigh. It is what Limbaugh and his ilk are trying to ignite right now. Radical Imams = Fascists Talk Radio Hosts.

Just all part of the mission you people didn't see,know,or will ever hear about. Good Job Corporal! Ooh Rahh

Unless he was EOD or Munitions, there is very little chance he was handeling granade fuzes on a regular basis. How he even got them would be a mystery.

obviously nobody on here works for tsa, and therefore you have have no idea what went on with the screening of this bag. the weapon was most likely declared... the MODEL rocket engine was probably too small to cause any damage to his bag..... and the fuses are not gonna go off by themselves. so once again people are freaking out over nothing.......

whoa! who knows, maybe, it's fireworks ordered by Limbaugh, Hannity, Malkin and the rest of the rightwing kooks, nutjobs and wackos for the next Tea Party on 4th of July. bleh

The guns and maybe even the ammo and rocket engines could be understood. The hand grenade detonator? Come on wingnuts.

BTW, the Oklahoma City bombings took place 15 years ago yesterday. 168 people died, including children, due to rightwing extremism. Its time the sane people of this country start fighting back against the Glen Beckian nutjobs. Perhaps we should organize this July 4th as a a day to defend democracy.

Two comments on this.
One, as a fellow Marine I wonder first if this young man has been to the desert. The desert has an amazing way of making young men do some pretty stupid things. Instead of chastising this guy for "making a stupid mistake" or for just "being another dumb Marine" I'd like to hear the whole story. Marines, soldiers, sailors, and airmen are always bringing home little souveniers of their time spent in a foreign land. I wouldn't be willing to bet that is all this is, I bet the young man has a few screws loose from his time in the desert and needs some serious help.
of the

Two
Instead of ridiculing the words of the law, understand them. It is illegal to carry a firearm onto an aircraft unless it is declared. He did not declare it. It is illegal to carry explosives or explosive devices aboard an aircraft at any time. Whether there was enough to do any real damage is irrelevant. It is illegal for him to carry those on board period. he broke the law and will have his opportunity to explain his actions and get his mental evaluation at the same time. It is amazing to me how many of you idiots have already forgotten what happened here on 9/11/2001.

What the guy was illegal - but it's not like anyone was in any danger.

I'd be curious if the guy was into model rockets - it's the simplest explanation,
and the most likely.

And who says there are no right wing extremists and radicals. Another Timothy McVeigh in the making right here. Seems like the DHS report was right on target.

Huh, so turns out this guy was stationed in NC, not returning home to NC to visit his "wife and child before he left for a deployment in iraq" as someone who claimed to know him posted earlier; he was on his way back to his post after a trip to Vegas.

He's a twenty something military man who had a firearm and ammo in a locked box in his checked bag and the same kinds of bombs my idiot brother's tried to kill themselves with when they were in their teens because it was fun to see things go boom? They were in his checked baggage, which would be transported in the hold? There was no evidence that he was carrying any kind of detonator on his person? Was there evidence he was planning on using these against anyone at his destination?

I'm still waiting to hear what the problem is... ?

To comments 58 and 59. If he is sent to Obama camp he won't be water boarded. Only Bush&Cheney camps provide that. To Jimbo, We have already witnessed your brains and God has nothing to do with it, just Fox News.

Let's wait until the facts are in before condemning him. Obviously TSA screwed up big time. TSA is a joke, they would never have found these items if they hadn't screwed up. Now that is scary. I might be a liberal, but I refuse to condemn anyone in the Armed Forces until all the facts are in. Still, I don't like the idea of ANYONE carrying detonators of any kind ANYWHERE on the plane.

As a former Marine, I call BS on "Numbers" posing as a Marine. I wouldn't carry ammo with my locked (in a handgun box) and checked baggage, however it IS legal. A hand grenade detonator is about as powerful as a firecracker. It's NOT the explosive part. Hobby Rocket Engines? Give me a break. He screwed up because he didn't declare it. From the link, I though he must have been carrying actual explosives. (Like a MK19 round or a Mortar shell - Composition Four or something actually explosive.) All the posts about him being a right wing terrorist are completely stupid, although I wouldn't expect much less from the Obama crowd (I am neither a D or R, thankfullly)

It is crazy it was not found in the first check but for those of you condoning this because he is a "war hero" are you all nuts? He could be a distubed bloke coming home to do God knows what, of course he couldn't use the materials while on the plane. Wake up morons and smell the possible explosions here at home!

its a set-up

Food the the NRA, what he did was nothing.

Investigate 911. The growing federal government is the real terrorist.

This guy is screwed, no matter what. even if all of the "bombmaking materials" are proved false, he still had the "audacity" to travel to the bay state, with a handgun and ammunition - without a license.

since his baggage had to be checked again (because of the mistakes by the baggage handlers), the marine was in possession of a handgun, ammunition, and a high- capacity feeding device - all felonies here. there is no airport exception. and this US marine is sitting it out in a Massachusetts jail, because today is a holiday, and the courts are closed).

irony: sitting in jail on patriots day, for having a gun... when patriots day is nothing but a celebration of our right to own a gun. remember... we didn't fight over taxes, or tea, misrepresenataions or tariffs... we fought when they came to take our guns. we now call this Patriot's Day

WHOA. First of all, keep in mind that you are reading from a newspaper, which means that 60% of this is inaccurate information. Next we have alleged rocket motors. Who says they are rocket motors and what is the propellant and what was the quantity of the propellant. A hand grenade initiator makes a pop---that about it--like a lady finger. The handgun is another matter. Shame on this idiot not sending it by Fed Ex . I know of an idiot FBI agent travelling from A to B that wanted to have a few cocktails on the plane, so he stupidly put his gun in his bag and had it identified "FIREARM". Needless to say the bag smashers stole the bag and the gun and the agent almost lost his job----through COMPLIANCE with the law and NAIVETE. Fool. This is all about headline grabbers and the left wing boring broadsheet pushing the left wing agenda. Remember folks, not all checked bags are screwed and often none are. You better wake up and smelll the coffee. How many read in the Globe this morning that the FBI is all over the folks that planned and attended the " TEA PARTIES! Obama and Napolitano are about to kick down your door at 2:00 AM to scrutinize your "papers" and you're wetting your pants about this idiot Marine and the morons in TSA. It would behoove you to worry about the Dept of Justice and DHS!

HEY!!, Why not advertise all of the mistakes and give the real idiots something to mimick. this is where they get all of their ideas from(hey did you hear what happened at that airport?. they didn't even find the guns in vegas, oh, yeah lets do it man!) yeah like that.

Seems odd. If he's from NC, and he's stationed in NC (assuming he's stationed at Camp Lejeune), then why was he flying from Vegas to Boston to NC? I just did a quick search on USAirways, the carrier he flew on as per the article, and you have to go out of your way to fly from Vegas to Logan and then NC...ie it's not a normal itinerary, and there are plenty of direct flights. So, why go through Logan on your way from Vegas to NC, and why would you have all that ammo and "extra stuff?" It doesn't add up as a goofy kid who just forgot to file the right paperwork.

TSA workers and State Police target US Marines another tea bag party expected.

Dankat

well, he certainly wouldn't be a liberal. liberals don't have the backbone to do ANYTHING!

It's been a joke in the airline industry, but "TSA" must actually be an acronym for "Thousands Standing Around."

Note to Boston.com - newest comments should go to the top of the list, not the bottom.

He is a US Marine and deserves to go free. It was a stupid move on his part not to declare the weapons, but he should not be punish for a mistake. The gentleman serves this country I think we owe him that much.

He could be just stupid. Or he could be a Timothy McVeigh.

Either way, Homeland Security shouldn't be protecting us by way of fortuitous accidents.

Thank god they caught him. Imagine if he had gotten those on the plane, do you know what kind of damage he could have caused with the weapons he would have no access to during the flight?

Sounds like a pyromaniac (young male with an aptitude for science) and poor judgment.

This totally stinks!
Makes great headlines though.
People believe everything they read
cause it's just gotta be true...the tv
and the paper say so.
Wake up to a nation of laws where
you have no rights...feels good...or
sleep.
Divide and Conquer!

Divide and conquer, yeah!

What's the fuss about? A soldier working on a science project needs his supplies! Let the kid go and while you're at it show him the directions to OKC.

Why did he book a layover in Boston, on a flight from Vegas to Charlotte, NC? A Boston layover is not part of any itineraries for US Airways flying Vegas to Charlotte. The price of a ticket with no layovers from Vegas to Charlotte is $599. To specifically book a flight from Vegas, to Boston (where you aren't even leaving the airport), to Charlotte costs $930. Doesn't make sense.

"Right wingers are actively recruiting returning vets. This does not mean Veterans are bad, just that they are being targeted."

Left wingers are actively recruiting returning vets, to make them say that other veterans are bad. But they seem to also accept fake vets for the job.

If the man's name wasn't Corporal Justin Reed and it was something like Usef Hussien would you guys still be defending hischoices?

We do not know about the hero stuff, he could have been a cook or a clerk
which would put him in the wanabe club.The 7.62 mm ammunition, military pull-type fuses switches, and a hand grenade fuse assembly with detonator.
Well that put him the thief catagory, because those are goverment issue , I am surprised his bail was set that low.
But then again the military will also get a crack at him.

If he were of Muslim extraction, whether born in this country or not, people woiuld be screaming "kill the terrorist". But he's a white Christian marine, so the fact that he was carrying possible explosives is dandy. Nobody remembers the Murrah building, I guess.

Infernal Machine...code written by Yosemite Sam

Q: What does TSA stand for?

A: Thousands Standing Around.

Of course...he'll need to be waterboarded to find out who his co-conspirators are.

What was he thinking?
He is a Marine, their is little thought process.

It's amazing how many people didn't read the entire article before they felt the need to jump on and make a comment. People should remember "It is better to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool than to open it and remove all doubt".

WOW seriously? Nothing like "innocent until proven guilty" and to an US Marine no less, someone who went to fight to protect your freedoms. And where does it say anything about terrorists, extresmsit groups???? He boo booed...and soldiers were allowed to bring stuff home from Iraq in the beginning..who knows what he thought. I was checked baggage not carry on...his intent was not to harm those on the plane...you should be mad at TSA for not doing their job.....

I was on that plane. I left Boston Airport before the stuff hit the fan... My concern is that the Las Vegas TSA did not find the stuff before it made it on the plane. when I picked up my bag in Boston I found it had been opened and pawed through even though I did not have anything beyond a phone charger and dirty laundry in my bag, Flight 66 was full. A lot of people carried on their luggage to get around the baggage fee. I am glad Corporal Justin W. Reed checked his bag, on the other hand if he had tried to carry it on, maybe the gate screeners would have found the weapons - maybe.

None of our military men and women is expected to carry and supply their own ammunition and explosives. There are normally clearly defined rules for garrison/barracks life about checking personal firearms into the unit's locked Arms Room. Traveling with a pistol and ammunition inside a box and declaring it to TSA would not be unusual. Not declaring it and transporting fuses, rocket motors with fuel, etc.? Well, that's stupid at best.

DUMB JARHEAD!!!

I'm sure he's just a nitwit who should have declared everything, however, a even tiny spark can kill hundreds, like on TWA 800, which is why we have airport security and baggage contents restrictions, to keep people safe.

Would anyone on here defending Corporal Reed be perfectly happy if his mistake had wiped out their family? I think not.

To No. 5 - duh, obviously the soldier wasn't going to get the materials from the cargo hold, however, what was he going to do with the guns and bomb making materials once he claimed his bags in NC? I'm not sure about you, but I don't usually travel with a locked handgun box containing a semi-automatic handgun, a fully loaded gun magazine, several boxes of 9 mm and 7.62 mm ammunition, three model rocket engines containing an explosive mixture, military pull-type fuses, switches, electronics kit boxes with various components, and a hand grenade fuse assembly with detonator.
deb

Apparently, in addition to possession of an "infernal machine", he was also charged with 4 "dagnabbits" , which will carry fines of up to $500 a piece and up to 4 months in jail. What's with the phony outrage over the DHS memo "targeting" returning vets? Uh, no it said that right wing extremists may tap into that resource. Ask the returning vets if they are actually offended by the memo?

I like how this is so black and white to those people too. "Hey, he's a returning hero...look at how we treat them." Returning from where? The war in Vegas...with guns and explosive devices?

Then there's the idiot who said "It's checked luggage...is he gonna go into the luggage compartment and blow up the plane?" Whoah, somebody missed the point entirely. He's travelling with not only guns but bomb making devices. Um, I don't care who that is, that's a red flag right there.

Folks, this is what is going to happen:
1. If this Marine did have bad intentions for using this stuff (which I highly doubt, unless more facts surface) he will be in more trouble with the military authorities than the incompetent MA criminal "justice" system could ever do to him.

2. More than likely, the MA people blew this out of proportion, and embellished the "facts" to make a case against this guy. In that case, the Pentagon will step in, the MA authorities will be forced back into the rat hole where they belong, the Marine will go on his way, and that will be the last we will ever hear about it.

I'll also bet the State Poopers who arrested this guy were on overtime at the taxpayers expense.

Well, maybe the NRA will defend the guy. After all, isn't this one of those "2nd Amendment" type cases? And let's be sure to find a way or two to blame it on Obama. Feed those extremists something to chew on. Let's go Rush and Sean.

well go figure, TSA finally found something, not bad for an agency that has the same hiring process as mcdonalds

Rob Thomasx--Where did you get the idea that he was a Christian??? I find it really annoying that people assume someone is a Christian because they are white.

He was a jerk--plain and simple.

I came to this post assuming I would hear someone call this guy a typical right wing conspiracy nut. As a Marine Veteran and an America I am proud of our military and the job they are doing for our country. I hate to have to assume all media is biased. Both sides, but my comfimation was when te CNN reporter attacked an attendee and his baby in Chicago. I met Indepedents, Right ,Left and many others that see our countries economic future headed in the wrong dirctions when I attended a rally in Texas. I am retired and depend on the market for my retirement income. I do not believe in slit your own throat politics for party reasons. As a military man I detest the highligting of men and women in the service to meet the liberal aganda.

It could well be a set up to bolster the claims of Napolitano. It seems too convenient coming so closely on the release of the DHS report. The truth will out...

I understand the concern some of you have. However, for the ones that claim this Marine is dumb I will point out some errors in your intellect: (Extremist) spelled correctly; I won't even state any more. I just find it hard to believe that you all are bashing this Marine. If anybody else wants to earn low pay, work all night long without a shower and be away from family and friends for months at a time, let me know! Most of these comments are hypocritical and I'll leave it at that.

If the ammunition is military and tracks back to a military inventory, then he's in serious trouble. As any vet will tell you, you can't take the toys home with you! They have to stay on post. And what was he doing in Vegas with that stuff?

Those who are declaring against him without any facts at all, consider the possibility that he might have simply grabbed the wrong bag w/o realizing it. I had a good friend who grabbed his outdoors backpack (w/ knife and other no-fly items) instead of the backpack he packed to travel and got arrested simply because he didn't realize he was carrying the wrong bag. Stupid yeah, but no more than anyone else here who has ever grabbed the wrong thing in a hurry by mistake. Only difference between Reed and most others who make simple mistakes like that might simply be that he happens to be a marine and likes to have a gun and explosive in a ready to go bag.

Perhaps instead of jumping to conclusions and tossing out words like idiot and stupid everyone should consider that they do not know all the facts. Remember that you are speaking about a Corporal in the United States Marine Corps who has the fortitude to put his life in harms way to protect you. Something that I would presume many of you are to cowardess to ever consider. Show some respect and don't throw stones in a glass house. Wouldn't it be something if we started to pull each and everyone of your skeletons from the closet.

Although odd....when you consider that these things were in his checked backage, whats the harm? If he declared the gun and ammo, it would have been legal.

Seriously, for what purpose would someone need "a locked handgun box containing a semi-automatic handgun, a fully loaded gun magazine, several boxes of 9 mm and 7.62 mm ammunition, three model rocket engines containing an explosive mixture, military pull-type fuses, switches, electronics kit boxes with various components, and a hand grenade fuse assembly with detonator." Just a hobby? Souvenirs? Getting ready for an armed insurrection of some type? Home protection? No one would be able to convince that this was in way desirable, or safe, or even legal.

Well, TSA hasn't caught a real terrorist in 8 years, so I guess this at least makes it look like there is some real danger, even if it's ain't so.

There's clearly many more questions to be answered. I sincerely hope Boston.com runs the follow-up story.

I am a little concerned by some of the descriptions, eg "fully loaded gun magazine," which is a hell of a lot different than fully loaded gun, which can have a misfire if jolted. Also, the size of the model-rocket engines are impt, as well as how it was packed. He may not have realized the chemical composition of model rocket engines.

Like I said, lots of questions, not a lot of answers. It's hard to determine if the corporal is nefarious, a little dumb, or even maybe an innocent -- maybe he DID tell someone in Las Vegas, and that is why they let it through.

As an active duty Marine myself I can tell you that he violated plenty articles of the UCMJ as well. Marine or no Marine, he was wrong with what he did and just because he was a Marine gives him no right doing what he did. Not only did he violate the law, he also violated what it means to be a Marine. Marines DO NOT do that sort of stuff. Only the bad ones...the ones that we do not need. Trust me, we can fight this war without people like him. This war is being fought and won by Marines who abide by the law and ethics of being a Marine. I hope he gets what he deserves...as I am sure he will.

As far as the TSA...you get what you hire.

This guy could be quite dumb and the TSA staff incompetent. Alternatively, the munitions and "infernal device" (naval jargon for an underwater explosive) could have been checked on by a TSA insider - that is much more worrying.....

As a retired Federal Agent with over twenty -five years of service who was exempt from carrying a fire arm on board an aircraft I hate to fly now as a civilian.

After the events of 9/11 in which I was part of the federal protection and investigation, the focus for TSA officers hiring was retired military, law enforcement ( RLEO ) and civilians . The wisdom of the TSA was the employment of workers from K Mart. In fact I had a problem with a TSA officer when active that I was at the point of arresting her ..Thank God for the local PD .

I feel bad for this active service member call it judgment or what ever. I will tell you something after I retired I checked ALL my coats and clothing that I travel with to insure there was no "stray "round . The head line would read "Retired Federal Agent Arrested for Possession of WMD ..one 9mm round !

I don't know all the facts but there are regulations that address checked fire arms for non LEO . I read it what fear that I have is that a "Ramp Rat " baggage handler would make the fire arm go south !

There should be a regulation in place that has a "chain of custody” . The chain will have a direct link to a party ...the air lines NEVER misplace baggage !!!!

I

The NRA would obviously find this an acceptable personal cache (small, just for your mobile needs). After all, they consider being able to buy at most 12 handguns each year (one a month), barely sufficient to satisfy your constitutional right to organize, arm and train a paramilitary organization ("a well-functioning militia") with your buddies from the PTA or sewing circle on your spare time (and with unemployment soaring, this an important concern).

Listen up all you wack jobs. have you ever done the job that TSA does? NO, do you know what the process is? NO do you know what the equipment does and how it detects? NO do you how the bags arrive in the checked baggage area and are processed? NO .......so in short shut up unless you know what you are talkng about. I think you all just like to find somthing to complain about and the funny thing is you dont know what your talking about. So just keep quiet. TSA employees get up everyday at 2am, kiss their spouse and kids goodbye and go to work to make you safe when you fly. Unfortunately you never hear the good stuff that happens.

So, now that we know he declared his weapon it is no longer big news? Not nearly as much fun as bashing a young man who has voluntarily offered up his life to protect you, eh?

If you want to try and understand why you are so afraid of these valiant young people, Google "On Sheep, Wolves, and Sheepdogs" then try to focus long enough to read the entire thing - you'll find it hard I'm sure because it will take longer than watching a 15 second blimp of "news" on TV and offers realities that you don't want to face. But maybe an understanding of why you are afraid will help you overcome your irrationality.

I know this young man and he is a good person who made some bad decisions. He is not a fringe element but simply a Marine who chose bad judgement. He will be held accountable by the Marine Corps. He is not a right wing extremist and some of these post are silly. Neither is he a victim. Please accept that he is a good kid who did something dumb. He is an honorable Marine who may not be after the corps gets done with him.

Sounds alot like this guy and his "Infernal Machine" was a setup ... weather he is involved or not, it sounds like a reason to give the government an excuse to pass even more laws. How come his baggage, was the one to be first overlooked, and then "found" ... oops! If it was an "honest mistake" how many others have been let through?

HE DID DECLARE EVERYTHING! AT THE START OF THE JOURNEY!!!!!!!!!!
WHY DONT YOU ALL GET OFF YOUR HIGH HORSES YOU MANIACS! HE IS A NORMAL NICE CHAP WITH FAMILY AND JUST GOT CAUGHT IN A MEDIA FRENZY THAT US DUMB AMERICANS SEEM TO LOVE. WHY DONT YOU GET YOUR STAKES AND TORCHES AND BRING YOUR WITCH HUNT TOGETHER, JEEEZ.

Justin Reed
Is not a nut ! He is the very person you want protecting the USA. He comes from a large loving home, that is praying for him right now. I know him. His Father, Mother, brothers and sisters. If he made a mistake he will correct it. I truly believe he was just doing his job. Keep up the good work Justin. We will also be praying for you.

What if his name had been Mohamed? Would he still be a good kid, above suspicion?

Just wondering.

His background and training would be enough to tell him these items would be found. Sounds like if it went through one more check point there would be a lot to talk about. I question his motive? Why the sacrifice?

This article should be updated since the charges were dropped. Way to go TSA on being stupid and wanting to attack a marine serving to protect your dunkin donut filled asses. Everyone wrote slanderous articles comments against this honest man should feel ashamed. This just shows you what "pride" America has when they will attack the ones that protect them. I'm sure this marine feels disappointed in his country, he has ever right to be