Suspect in O’Hare weapons incident back in custody

AHHHHHH, Thats Better!

A 27-year-old Chicago man was taken back into custody and is to appear today in U.S. District Court to face federal charges stemming from his weekend arrest for allegedly trying to bring nine knives and other weapons aboard an airliner at O’Hare International Airport, authorities said.

Subash Gurung already had been charged in state court with misdemeanor counts of unlawful use of a weapon, attempting to board an aircraft with dangerous weapons and carrying dangerous weapons after he was arrested just prior to boarding a United Airlines flight to Omaha, Neb., on Saturday night, officials said. He was released Sunday on $1,000 bail.

Gurung, a native of Nepal, is to appear in federal court this afternoon on a charge of attempting to carry a weapon on an aircraft, a felony, authorities said.

Four security workers at O’Hare have been fired and five more have been suspended pending an investigation into why they let Gurung past a security checkpoint after confiscating two folding knives from him, Monique Bond, spokeswoman for the Chicago Department of Aviation, said this morning.

Airline employees in the gate area searched Gurung’s carry-on bag and found seven more knives, a Taser stun gun and a can of Mace, police said. It is not known why Gurung was headed to Omaha.

“Something obviously went seriously wrong here, and we’re trying to find out if it’s the employees’ fault,’’ Bond said. “If weapons were confiscated, he should never have been let through security.’’

The incident is expected to energize the debate whether the federal government should take over security screening at the nation’s airports. The Senate has approved a measure that would make security screeners federal employees. The House version adopted Thursday increased federal oversight of the 28,000 screeners, but stopped short of federalizing them.

The nine security workers in the O’Hare incident were employees of Atlanta-based Argenbright Security Inc., the private company that runs United’s screening operations at O’Hare, Bond said.

The employees, including one supervisor, have had their airport security badges revoked, Bond said.

Officials of the city, United and the Federal Aviation Administration are continuing to investigate the incident, she said.

United spokesman Joe Hopkins wouldn’t say why Gurung was searched at the boarding gate 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.

Last month, the FAA and the Transportation Department’s inspector general announced an audit of the screeners employed by Argenbright, which operates at 14 airports. Officials alleged Argenbright has failed to adequately check employees’ backgrounds.

Gurung was questioned by police and the FBI and released early Sunday. Chicago police and FBI officials conferred about Gurung’s arrest, but decided he couldn’t be charged with a federal crime because he didn’t board the airplane, a police spokesman said Sunday.

The defendant told police he is unemployed and is originally from Nepal. When he was released Sunday, he was told to appear in court Dec. 19 on the state charges.

Gurung recently moved back to Chicago with his brother, Sushil, from Minnesota, said Adam Colfax, superintendent for the apartment building in the 5700 block of North Kenmore Avenue where the Gurung brothers lived until a year ago.

Colfax said Gurung previously lived in an apartment at 1025 W. Hollywood Ave., where Ayub Ali Khan once lived. Khan has been detained by authorities as a material witness in the Sept. 11 attacks, but it is unclear whether he knew Gurung.

Tribune staff reporters Tom McCann and Sean D. Hamill and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

AHHHHHH, Thats Better!

A 27-year-old Chicago man was taken back into custody and is to appear today in U.S. District Court to face federal charges stemming from his weekend arrest for allegedly trying to bring nine knives and other weapons aboard an airliner at O’Hare International Airport, authorities said.

Subash Gurung already had been charged in state court with misdemeanor counts of unlawful use of a weapon, attempting to board an aircraft with dangerous weapons and carrying dangerous weapons after he was arrested just prior to boarding a United Airlines flight to Omaha, Neb., on Saturday night, officials said. He was released Sunday on $1,000 bail.

Gurung, a native of Nepal, is to appear in federal court this afternoon on a charge of attempting to carry a weapon on an aircraft, a felony, authorities said.

Four security workers at O’Hare have been fired and five more have been suspended pending an investigation into why they let Gurung past a security checkpoint after confiscating two folding knives from him, Monique Bond, spokeswoman for the Chicago Department of Aviation, said this morning.

Airline employees in the gate area searched Gurung’s carry-on bag and found seven more knives, a Taser stun gun and a can of Mace, police said. It is not known why Gurung was headed to Omaha.

“Something obviously went seriously wrong here, and we’re trying to find out if it’s the employees’ fault,’’ Bond said. “If weapons were confiscated, he should never have been let through security.’’

The incident is expected to energize the debate whether the federal government should take over security screening at the nation’s airports. The Senate has approved a measure that would make security screeners federal employees. The House version adopted Thursday increased federal oversight of the 28,000 screeners, but stopped short of federalizing them.

The nine security workers in the O’Hare incident were employees of Atlanta-based Argenbright Security Inc., the private company that runs United’s screening operations at O’Hare, Bond said.

The employees, including one supervisor, have had their airport security badges revoked, Bond said.

Officials of the city, United and the Federal Aviation Administration are continuing to investigate the incident, she said.

United spokesman Joe Hopkins wouldn’t say why Gurung was searched at the boarding gate 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.

Last month, the FAA and the Transportation Department’s inspector general announced an audit of the screeners employed by Argenbright, which operates at 14 airports. Officials alleged Argenbright has failed to adequately check employees’ backgrounds.

Gurung was questioned by police and the FBI and released early Sunday. Chicago police and FBI officials conferred about Gurung’s arrest, but decided he couldn’t be charged with a federal crime because he didn’t board the airplane, a police spokesman said Sunday.

The defendant told police he is unemployed and is originally from Nepal. When he was released Sunday, he was told to appear in court Dec. 19 on the state charges.

Gurung recently moved back to Chicago with his brother, Sushil, from Minnesota, said Adam Colfax, superintendent for the apartment building in the 5700 block of North Kenmore Avenue where the Gurung brothers lived until a year ago.

Colfax said Gurung previously lived in an apartment at 1025 W. Hollywood Ave., where Ayub Ali Khan once lived. Khan has been detained by authorities as a material witness in the Sept. 11 attacks, but it is unclear whether he knew Gurung.

Tribune staff reporters Tom McCann and Sean D. Hamill and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

"The one and only area where Federal workers makes sense is in the security arena."

A system of aviation security in which the federal government sets rigorous standards and provides extensive oversight, as in Europe, with the private companies providing aviation security, thereby eliminating airlines as primary providers makes the most sense.

The federal government takes control of the regulatory and oversight activities to create an environment where the need to provide the highest standard of aviation security is not compromised by the competitive and economic pressures placed upon the airlines by their highly competitive industry environment.

The single most important factor in continuing to raise standards, increasing security levels, raising security wages and career opportunities will be the removal of the aviation security companies from the direct control of the airlines while retaining the private companies’ ability to hire, fire and retain personnel without federal budgeting or personnel restrictions.

Oh no, Kung Fu guys are Buddhists! No, I don't watch martial arts movies. I watch the NBA and college basketball, that's physical enough, thank you, LOL.

It is clear to me that profit will always motivate some private company to cut corners.

That explains why FedEx and UPS are so inferior to the Post Office. (/sarcasm)

mmmm

Are Buddhists known to go around so heavily armed? I thought they were non-violent. There have to be other religious groups in Nepal.

The only Sub(h)ash I ever knew was an Indian but I do not think he was Hindu. Eastern Gurung is the name of one language spoken in Nepal. Western Gurung is spoken in Bhutan, India, Nepal. This Subash Gurung guy is confusing.

"They [FBI] are so afraid of profiling that they are letting suspect get away."

This is at least the second time the media has done their job for them. I recall the WSJ reminded them to return to a Trenton, NJ apartment to look it over. Time for this political correctness and sensitivity bullshi* to end IMO.

My reply included the most relevant passage, "The one and only area where Federal workers makes sense is in the security arena."

I think that effectively took Postal services out of my discussion. Straw man 1, you 0.

The majority of people from Nepal may be Buddhists, but there is also a small Muslim population. Check your geography books.

The Royal Family in Nepal is Hindu. They were massacred late last Spring by the heir to the throne.

Nepal royal family massacred

Didn't Jimmy Carter cancel and/or suspend all Iranian passports and Visas during the Iranian crisis? Why can't we do something like that now.

I would have never thought I would ever agree with Jimmy Carter on anything but he did it and no one uttered a word..

Didn't Jimmy Carter cancel and/or suspend all Iranian passports and Visas during the Iranian crisis? Why can't we do something like that now.

I would have never thought I would ever agree with Jimmy Carter on anything but he did it and no one uttered a word..

"The one and only area where Federal workers makes sense is in the security arena."

The one and only reason airport security never has and never will be federal workers is:

AMENDMENT IV

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

"Simple, when it is Federalized, profit is not a motive. This is the case with all our Armed Forces, Police and Fire.

Armed forces are a constitutionally mandated responsibility of our federeal government, which cannot be privatized. But all of their equipment is from the private sector which operates under the profit motive.

Police and fire is also a privately provided service in many cities around the U.S.

But the most important thing to remember, whether it is the armed services or police or fire, they still have to abide by the Bill of Rights, as a government entity, and thus have to abide by 4th amendment.

Throw the book at him. Then hold a press conference telling everyone that you are throwing the book at anyone who pulls crap like this.

This guy is confusing.

The defendant told police he is unemployed and is originally from Nepal.

I imagine we'll find out that his trekking took him through an Al Qaeda training camp in Afghanistan, a meeting in Spain one summer, and a recent trip to Prague via Algiers. He probably arrived in the U.S. most recently on a student visa to take flying lessons. Bet he's wanted for driving without a license, and has an apartment full of alternative IDs.

I'm just glad someone pulled their head out of the sand and picked this menace up again.

Does anyone else here think that the FBI made the call to initially release him so that they could follow/monitor him and see if he led them to something else.

Why is it that the media seems to miss it?

The Union would have gummed up the works for months and these fired employees(after being on paid leave for months) would probably have been given a severance package.

On the contrary...Union employees don't get paid leave unless it is afterward proven that they were innocent...Had a union been involved, there likely would have been extensive training involved along with serious background checks...

Most likely these security companies are the equivalent of "Manpower", that company that not only relies on druggies and poor performers for it's workforce but prides itself in providing the cheapest labor possible...

You get what you pay for...You want "cheap"??? Prepare to crash, or take a bus...

"Now, let's get Argenbright and United Airlines into custody."

United Airlines employess are the ones who cought the guy and would not let him board. Just exactly how is it Uniteds fault? Argonbright is probably, (I don't know for sure, but have experience w/companys who go after government contracts) a minority owned security company who has given the various local governments that operate these airports such low bids for security services that they don't have the money for proper training, or to hire decent employees. The real solution would be for each airline to provide it's own security. Believe me they do not want their own planes highjacked. Federalizing it would a step in the wrong direction. Security would be worse not better.

You said,"This is at least the second time the media has done their job for them."

The article states this: "Gurung previously lived in an apartment at 1025 W. Hollywood Ave., where Ayub Ali Khan once lived. Khan has been detained by authorities as a material witness in the Sept. 11 attacks, but it is unclear whether he knew Gurung."

How do the authorities originally miss such an important fact at a time of national heightened awareness? It's not like most of these addresses aren't repeated daily in the media.