Charges Dismissed Against Soldier Arrested in TX Airport With C4 Explosive

Reuters ^ | Jim Forsyth

[AnTiw1]

SAN ANTONIO (Reuters) - Federal prosecutors dismissed all charges on Friday against an Army Special Forces sergeant who was arrested at a Texas airport on New Year's Eve with 2.5 pounds of the military explosive C-4 in his carry-on luggage.

[AnTiw1]

Trey Atwater, 30, a demolitions expert stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, had been charged with attempting to board an aircraft with an explosive device, a felony carrying a punishment of up to 10 years in prison.

Atwater told FBI he was unaware the explosives were in his bag, which he grabbed from his North Carolina home when he prepared to fly home to Texas for the Christmas holidays. Airport screeners apparently failed to detect the C-4 on the outbound flight to his hometown of Midland.

[Paleo Conservative]

Even if he had taken out the C4 from his bag, it’s possible the TSA could have found the residue in his bag. It’s a real problem with people who have legitimate access to explosives like seismic crews. Even if he had taken out the C4 from his bag, it

[driftdiver]

Good, hopefully the military won’t screw him.

Oh and the TSA STILL has not caught a single terrorist.

[mylife]

Pitman said. He said the lot number of the C-4 in Atwater's backpack matched a lot number which had been 'exclusively shipped to Afghanistan.'

I'm glad this guy got a good lawyer.

[thackney]

It’s a real problem with people who have legitimate access to explosives

Its a real problem with people who don't have legitimate access to explosive, but find them entertaining anyways. In some places, its just a method of fishing...

[JRandomFreeper]

In some places, its just a method of fishing...

You going to talk, or are you going to fish?

/johnny

[bigheadfred]

In some places, its just a method of fishing...

The Dupont Spinner.

[Mariner]

Uh...I'm like pretty darn sure this man never had permission to take a kilo of C4 home. Ever.

For any reason:)

That stuff stays on base or in a military vehicle, or in the possession of active duty military in a war zone, off base.

But they don't let you take it home lol

[Admin Moderator]

Would you please quit posting everything to Breaking News?

[EnglishCon]

Oh, come on. Every armed forces guy has a few “souvenirs” they have picked up.

[ApplegateRanch]

Fish, or cut fuses!

[ExSoldier]

The telling factor here is that he's stationed at Fort Bragg and some of those troops get to play and KEEP some pretty heavy toys. SFOD-D is there and so is the JFK Special Warfare Center. Special Forces Operational Detachment - Delta aka The Combat Applications Group aka Delta Force. When I read the story of how the group was formed by it's plank holding first commander (COL "Chargin' Charlie" Beckwith) the same night the unit was mobilized for it's first and sadly tragic mission into Iran to rescue the hostages of the Ayatollah in 1979, one of the operators stopped off at his home to pick up some gear. He walked in on the burglar. He drew a suppressed Browning Hi-Power and drilled the guy thru the heart, stepped over the body, got his stuff and reported back to Bragg and informed the commander of the situation. Beckwith had the mess cleaned up and continued the mission. That had a tragic and fatal ending in failure but the operator who popped the perp was right in line with his training.... and issued equipment (suppressed Hi-Power).

[af_vet_rr]

Good, hopefully the military won’t screw him.

Having served in the military, general they don't allow you to take a few pounds of C-4 home.

Then again, maybe the Army is different, maybe they do let soldiers take explosives home.

[ExSoldier]

IMHO, again since this was a soldier from Fort Bragg (unit unknown) and because Bragg is the home of special forces and Delta, I think if this was a case of pfc snuffy grabbing some C4 to blow up an old washing machine for fun at a dump or something they'd have let the charges stand. But if this was an operator, the military will whisper in the ears of the civilians and bingo he's all good again. He might get tossed out of whatever unit he's IN because he got caught and it brought publicity where there must be NONE, but that's all. OTOH, Texas is home to a lot of training bases where those kinds of folks go to practice their dark arts. Both Delta and DEVGRU (SEAL TM 6) are known for letting their operators practice for real life by letting them smuggle weapons past security on civvie flights enroute to whatever training mission was at hand. But get caught and you failed the test, so you're out.

[eastforker]

You’re right, if they dropped all charges the guy probably is an operator and had legal access to the stuff.Prosecutors don’t just drop charges unless they are directed to do so from way above thier paygrade.

[ExSoldier]

I was right! HIS UNIT: JFK SPECIAL WARFARE CENTER