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TIA Releases Passenger Held After Conversation Reported

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By KEITH MORELLI | The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 1, 2008

TAMPA - A local tile setter was detained by Tampa International Airport police and federal investigators this morning after he was overheard in an airport bathroom talking about mixing chemicals.

He later was released and allowed to go on his way.

No charges were filed against the passenger, said airport spokeswoman Brenda Geoghagan. The FBI, airport police and agents with the Transportation Security Administration interviewed him.

The man, whose name is not being published because he was not charged, missed his AirTran flight to Atlanta but was booked on the next departing flight, said Tad Hutcheson, vice president of marketing for the airline.

The man ultimately was bound for San Diego, authorities said.

The incident occurred about 7 a.m. today when the man was talking on a cell phone in an airside bathroom. Another man, the owner of a security consulting company, walked in and overheard a conversation about the mixing of unnamed chemicals, Pakistan, the war and the ongoing explosives-related case involving two University of South Florida students.

"This was disturbing," Hutcheson said.

Both men left the restroom, and the second man realized the tile setter was a passenger on the flight he was taking to Atlanta. The man told the gate attendant at Airside A, Gate 15, who told the pilot, who called in investigators.

AirTran Flight 120, and its 39 passengers bound for Atlanta, was delayed about 90 minutes, Hutcheson said. Everyone and all the baggage was screened again.

The flight left without the tile setter, who caught a flight about midmorning, Hutcheson said. The man was cooperative and appeared to be confused about what was going on, authorities said.

Editor Howard Altman contributed to this report and can be reached at (813) 259-7629 or haltman@tampatrib.com.

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