US justice detained after discovery of hidden knife

Airline Industry Information, Feb 9, 2005

AIRLINE INDUSTRY INFORMATION-(C)1997-2005 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

Justice Thomas G Saylor Jr, a Pennsylvania Supreme Court justice, was briefly detained at Harrisburg International Airport on 4 February after a pocket-knife was found hidden in his carry-on luggage.

Screeners had previously told Saylor that he would not be able to take the knife onto the aircraft to Philadelphia, The Associated Press reported. A Transportation Security Administration spokesman said that the justice was given several options for dealing with the problem and hiding the key-chain knife was not one of them. Saylor had said that the knife was a gift from a friend that he didn't want to lose, but upon detection it was seized and he was detained for about an hour after which he left the airport without boarding the flight.

If the Transportation Security Administration decides the actions were an attempt to circumvent security, Saylor could reportedly be fined up to USD6,000.

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