I did think that it was actually a "her" who foiled this plot, but the article stated it was a "him". I don't believe the article was giving credit for her heroism and quick thinking to Clarke, though.
"Later on the day of Mr. Deek's arrest, U.S. officials were blindsided by news from their own country.A U.S. customs agent, acting purely on a hunch, opened the trunk of a rented Chrysler at a sleepy border post north of Seattle. Inside he found a cache of circuit boards and highpowered explosives."