Man arrested at Chicago airport trying to board plane with 7 knives, stun gun

Nando Times ^ | 11/24/2001 | AP

[Enlightiator]

The Associated Press

CHICAGO (November 4, 2001 06:48 p.m. EST http://www.nandotimes.com) - A 27-year-old man possessing seven knives and a stun gun was arrested trying to board a flight at O'Hare International Airport, police said Sunday.

Subash Gurung, a Nepal native, was arrested Saturday night prior to boarding a United Airlines flight to Omaha, Neb., said police spokesman Thomas Donegan.

He was charged with unlawful use of a weapon and attempting to board an aircraft with weapons, both misdemeanor charges.

Gurung, questioned by police and the FBI, was released from custody at 4:30 a.m. Sunday.

Donegan was unsure what authorities learned while questioning Gurung, saying they apparently "didn't have reason to keep him." He has no previous arrests in Chicago.

Gurung had made it past the security checkpoint at O'Hare but airline employees in the gate area searched his bag in a routine check and found the lock-blade knives and the Taser gun, Donegan said.

Gurung told police he's unemployed. Donegan was unsure why Gurung was headed to Omaha.

The FBI declined to comment Sunday.

United spokesman Joe Hopkins wouldn't say why Gurung was searched, but said it was part of the airline's regular security procedures.

"The United employees did a great job of intercepting this guy with the weapons and preventing him from boarding the flight," Hopkins said.

[Lion's Cub]

FYI--see #13, #22, #36.

There's that Argenbright again. There has to be a cell among the Argenbright employees. The FBI has to know it. Why is it being ignored?

Security personnel at Dulles seen as risk

Initial Findings of Review of Argenbright Security, Inc. [largest in US]

[Nita Nupress]

I'm gonna be like mostlyundecided up there and put on my optimistic hat this morning. Maybe the FBI isn't doing anything about what must surely be an Argenbright cell because they want to watch them closely & take names before moving in.

And maybe Mr. Garung was initially released so the dim bulb could be followed and lead the FBI to other terrorists.

And maybe Mr. Garung was only charged with a misdemeanor so he could be released so he could be followed so he would lead to other terrorists. (Surely by now it's more than a misdemeanor to carry 9 lockblade knives, mace and a stun gun in an airport terminal!)

(..sigh..) It's not making much sense, is it? I just know that my own local FBI agents have a good reputation and I have confidence in their detective abilities, so it's hard to imagine a city like Chicago would have agents who don't know what they're doing.

[Nita Nupress]

I just know that my own local FBI agents have a good reputation and I have confidence in their detective abilities, so it's hard to imagine a city like Chicago would have agents who don't know what they're doing.

And no! You can't have them!

[rstevens]

Want to bet, next week we'll read where the FBI is looking for a Nepal immigrant, who previously lived in Chicago, was once detained and released.

[cardinal4]

How did he get the knives past security?

[vacrn]

According to the Chicago Tribune, this guy previously lived in Minnesota. Chicago Tribune also reports that he bought a one-way ticket. I'm sure it's all a coincidence!

[aristeides]

Thanks for the flag. Argenbright again, eh?

Those guys Azmath and Khan are turning out to be central to the whole plot. This guy Gurung lived at the same address in Chicago where Khan used to live?

I wonder if Gurung is a Moslem. I didn't realize there were any Moslems in Nepal, but I see, looking at an almanac, that 3% of the population there is Moslem.

[gumbo]

CNN has learned that Gurung listed the same West Hollywood Avenue apartment address in Chicago as Ayub Ali Khan, a material witness in the September 11 attacks.

Wow!!! Great catch, dogbyte! Thanks for the ping, aristeides!

[MindBender26]

We have Aregenhalfbright in Orlando.

One morning the x-ray and portals were SOL, so they made a "visual inspection." Some grey haired old lady looked at me for about 5 seconds. I had on a suit and a smile. That was my only check. Lawyer friend was headed fishing, dressed as he should have been for fishing, with Harley cap. Searched him for 5 minutes.

Delta pilots were pi**ed. When we got to Dulles, they put us on those telescoping busses and let us off in insecure area, so anyone wanting back on an A/C had to go through security for real!

[Plummz]

I actually heard this story, sans names, on the "Sports Junkies" show on WJFK earlier tonight. They also mentioned something that hasn't been on this thread -- that the two on the train were actually in the air on Sept. 11 before their plane was grounded in St. Louis. . .

[Fred Mertz]

Thanks!

[bvw]

You think he's a narco trafficer?

[Rockinfreakapotamus]

CNN has learned that Gurung listed the same West Hollywood Avenue apartment address in Chicago as Ayub Ali Khan, a material witness in the September 11 attacks.

I also heard that he had bought a one way ticket (says he planned to stay with "friends" in Omaha for over a month before returning) and had an expired visa (which the feds KNEW ABOUT)!!

[NautiNurse]

I'll check tomorrow to see if they are at the Tampa airport too (headed to OKC). Mid-October I flew out of TPA. At least half of the security guards were 'swarthy' with thick accents that I could only understand 1/3 of what they said. The other half of security staff were gray hairs who looked tired of working.

They never looked at my computer, never opened the bag--even when I asked them. Eeeeeesh.