2 men held after suspicious item found in car detonated; Updated info on story posted yesterday

The State Newspaper ^ | 8-5-2007 | MissEdie

[MissEdie]

GOOSE CREEK, S.C. --Two men were detained after police found and detonated a suspicious item found in their car during a routine stop for a speeding violation on a highway near Charleston, Berkeley County sheriff's Lt. Vince Lombard said Sunday morning.

Lombard said the men were being held pending a charge of unlawful possession of an explosive device, but he would not say what the device was or what bomb technicians from neighboring Charleston County exploded about 2:45 a.m. Sunday.

The item made a loud bang, similar to a firecracker, when it was demolished.

Authorities closed the road about 7 p.m. and federal officials later said there was "no immediate threat."

The car was heading west on U.S. Highway 176, away from Goose Creek and the Naval Weapons Station there, Lombard said. The facility also houses the U.S. Naval Consolidated Brig, a military prison where enemy combatants have been held. The traffic stop took place about 7 miles from the sprawling Navy facility.

A mile-long stretch of U.S. Highway 176 was reopened about 4 a.m. Sunday.

A reporter with WCBD-TV said she saw a robot remove something from the trunk of the car earlier in the evening, but that the item was not immediately moved from the scene.

South Carolina law enforcement Chief Robert Stewart told The Associated Press that his officers were on the scene, but that the FBI was handling the case and he did not elaborate.

Goose Creek, with a population of about 30,000, is located about 20 miles north of Charleston.

[MissEdie]

Found this under Breaking News on The State's website. Thought ya'll may like an update.

[GFritsch]

No names.

[Brilliant]

No nationalities.

[Principled]

yesteday’s article said “middle eastern” men IIRC

[sono]

Not those pesky Amish extremists again?

[STARWISE]

PING ~!

[Lexington Green]

Another lie by ommission?

[MizSterious]

I noticed that too. Hmmmm.

[nuconvert]

What were they stopped for originally?

[HeartlandOfAmerica]

This story's been all OVER the place.

Tan van vs grey sedan.

Baggie vs Duffle bag.

small explosives vs large explosives.

They're just guessing obviously.

[HeartlandOfAmerica]

Article this morning mentioned this being an offshoot of another investigation but didn’t elaborate any more than that.

[AlexW]

“The item made a loud bang, similar to a firecracker, when it was demolished.”

What a joke...It was maybe a box with a firecracker in it?

[nuconvert]

hmmm....

[Redcloak]

Looks like it’s going down the ol’ memory hole.

[MissEdie]

Speeding, I believe.

[mad_as_he$$]

You have to be an industrial strength duma$$ to speed if you are up to no good — especially in that part of the country.

[mdmathis6]

Lets see, small shaped charges with an intensity to produce cracks at stress points on bridges, but otherwise might not make really loud ‘booms”.

Yeah I know...nothing to see here, move a long (ad nauseum)....

[hophead]

“The item made a loud bang, similar to a firecracker, when it was demolished.”

Wow, they are coming after firecrackers now?

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

In two days, it will be: “What suspicious items? What arrest?”

[HeartlandOfAmerica]

Check out reply #3 on: Explosives Found Near Goose Creek SC; FBI on Scene

“According to Lt. Vince Lombardo, deputies discovered the suspicious items in the trunk during a traffic stop. The two men inside the vehicle are detained at the scene. Lombardo also said information from an investigation in another jurisdiction raised the suspicions of the deputies.”

There were one or two other references to this but they were all worded the same so I figured it was all fromt he same source.

Not much to go on huh? :)