Man charged with trying to bring knife onto plane at TIA

Federal complaint

Raed Alsaif

By TBO.com
Published: June 16, 2009

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TAMPA --

Federal authorities have charged a 24-year-old man with trying to bring a seven-inch knife aboard a plane at Tampa International Airport.

Raed Abduhl-Rahman Alsaif was arrested June 4 as he tried to board US Airways flight 1077 to Phoenix and Portland, Ore., according to a criminal complaint.

During the screening process, an officer spotted a large chef's knife in one of Alsaif's bags, the complaint states. The knife was concealed between the outside fabric and the expandable pull handles of the bag.

Alsaif told officers a friend had given him the bag, and he was unaware of the contents. But authorities interviewed the friend, who denied owning the bag or giving it to Alsaif.

Alsaif is currently being held in the Pinellas County Jail pending a bail hearing.