Va. woman arrested for bomb hoax at Charlotte Douglas airport www.privateofficer.com
Charlotte NC July 3 2010 A Virginia woman faces federal charges after allegedly telling Charlotte/Douglas International Airport screeners she was carrying a bomb. Federal officials say the incident forced the evacuation of passengers and staff from one part of the airport and delayed the departure of at least one flight.
Danielle Shanese Smith, 25, of Virginia Beach, has been charged by federal authorities with conveying false and misleading information.
The incident happened shortly before 7 p.m. Wednesday, when Smith and a male friend approached Checkpoint B, according to a federal suit filed Thursday. Air marshals say Smith was planning to board US Airways Flight 930 to Norfolk.
Police said an officer at the security checkpoint detected “three anomalies or images” on Smith’s body as she went through the body scanning machine. A second officer was called to examine Smith again.
When the officer asked Smith if she had anything in her pockets, police said, the woman responded, “I have a bomb.”
Smith repeated that statement, adding an expletive, when she was asked the question a second time, federal officials say.
A supervising officer was called to the scene and asked Smith if she had anything in her pockets.
Police said Smith responded “a bomb, cuz I am a (expletive) terrorist.”
At that point, airport police shut down the checkpoint and evacuated passengers and staff from the Checkpoint B area.
Smith was arrested, and police did not find any type of explosive on her.
The charges against Smith carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison
Source:Charlotte Observer
