Arrested missionary: Blades found in shoe were for safety

Naples Daily News ^

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

MIAMI — A missionary arrested for trying to pass through airport security with a razor blade and a hacksaw blade in his shoe said he carried the blades while living in Brazil because he had received several threats on his life.

David McIntyre, who was arrested Monday at the Miami International Airport and charged with carrying a concealed weapon, said he forgot the blades were there.

McIntyre, 38, of West Chester, Pa., had been living in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, working with the Harrisburg, Pa.-based Association of Baptists for World Evangelism. He was heading to Philadelphia with his wife and three children for a year's furlough, and had passed through screeners in Belo Horizonte and Sao Paulo before the blades tripped alarms in Miami.

McIntyre, who was freed on bond Monday, said he last wore the shoes about a year ago. At the time, he said his was living in a dangerous neighborhood and receiving death threats related to his job.

"Put yourself in the trunk of a car: You're tied up. How are you going to get out?" McIntyre said. "So I put a razor blade in a shoe because I was getting specific threats on my life and safety there, and I thought it was a reasonable precaution."

The death threats stopped after he and his family moved, and the man making the threats left his church. McIntyre said he forgot about the shoes after putting them in his closet, but found them again after his wife packed all of his good shoes, and he needed another pair to wear on the trip. He said he had taken other precautions to account for airport security, such as packing the scissors he uses to cut his goatee in his checked bag.

Miami-Dade police said Tuesday that they believe McIntyre's story is credible, pointing out that he was only charged with a misdemeanor and federal officials weren't involved.

"The FBI could have come in and taken the case," said Sgt. Pete Andreu. "Since that didn't occur ... that would lead you to believe we felt less of a threat than if circumstances were different."

[aruanan]

People forget just how dangerous the rest of the world is.

[basil]

I believe him---self defense is a basic human right. Too bad he didn't remember he had the blade there--but we all make mistakes. I'm happy that the feds aren't going beserk over this.

[curmudgeonII]

"I forgot about the razor blades in my shoes, but I was wondering why my feet were so hairless."

[Cobra64]

"...he uses to cut his goatee in his checked bag.

Must be awfully cramped in there.

[TommyDale]

Yeah, every time I travel I forget to take all the weapons out of my shoes.

[Between the Lines]

The death threats stopped after he and his family moved, and the man making the threats left his church.

They must practice a very rough form of Christianity in Brazil that I am not familiar with.

[11th Earl of Mar]

his goatee in his checked bag.

You can't take your goatee in your carry on?

[Independentamerican]

I also believe him..Gave a credible story no harm intended. Plus its kind of hard not to believe him being a missionary an all.

[Blessed]

>They must practice a very rough form of Christianity in Brazil that I am not familiar with.<

In many parts of South America missionaries deal with people who practice a mix of Catholicism and Voodoo.The presence of a number of satanic based beliefs like voodoo makes for a sometimes dangerous situation.Missionaries of all denominations almost all report encountering demon possesed people in these cultures.

[Between the Lines]

Thank you for that info. It fills in alot of the blanks for me.

[BohDaThone]

For all those on the original thread, who were demanding "to know what religion the blade-wielder is" . . . I guess you've gotten your answer!!

[Willie Green]

You can't take your goatee in your carry on?

Must be why you always see films of Third World people traveling with chickens and goatees on a bus.