(PatriotPostNews.com) — On June 9th, 2024, a Hawaii airport was forced to evacuate after a pair of grenades were discovered in a foreign national’s carry-on luggage. Law enforcement, including a bomb squad, investigated the scene. It was determined that the suspect’s flight was destined for a foreign country, not a location within the United States. Officials did not release which country the individual was attempting to reach. The man, 41-year-old Akito Fukushima, was arrested at the scene.
The Transportation Security Administration discovered the grenades at the Hilo International Airport during routine x-ray screening. Upon the discovery of what appeared to be two active grenades, the terminal was evacuated for 80 minutes while officials investigated. Investigators determined that the grenades were inert. Inert grenades are a “safe training tool” that cannot be denoted and cannot explode. The explosives are removed from the grenade housing. Despite the grenades being functionally harmless, Fukushima was arrested for first-degree terroristic threatening. In a statement, law enforcement officials said that replica weapons are prohibited in checked luggage as well as carry-on luggage.
However, according to TSA’s official website, replica weapons are actually allowed in checked luggage, just not carry-on luggage. TSA does not offer any hard definition of what constitutes a “realistic replica.” Instead, the administration relies on officer discretion.
The security administration prohibits “realistic replicas” because a bad actor could use a realistic fake to make threats in a similar manner to how one could make threats with an unloaded gun. If a replica weapon is in checked baggage, there is no opportunity for a would-be bad actor to brandish the faux weapon. Brandishing explosives on a plane could create chaos and force the plane to make an emergency landing. Inert dummy grenades maintain authentic grenade housing, but the inside is hollow and does not contain explosives. Without close inspection, an inert grenade may appear to be an active explosive.
Fukushima was arrested for terrorist threats, not for carrying explosives.
Copyright 2024, PatriotPostNews.com
