1-Calif. port closed after threat found in ship

Mon Jun 26, 2006 1:49pm ET

(Updates with no explosives found on ship, other details)

By Dan Whitcomb

LOS ANGELES, June 26 (Reuters) - U.S. authorities closed a major California seaport on Monday after finding a threat, apparently directed at President George W. Bush, written in the hold of a cargo ship carrying bananas from Guatemala.

Bomb squads searching the vessel found no signs of explosives but the port remained shut down to land and sea traffic while nearby ships and buildings were investigated, a U.S. Coast Guard spokesman said.


"We got a report that there was a threatening message written on one of the stanchions in the cargo hold of a ship called Mild Lotus," at Port Hueneme, Coast Guard spokesman Patrick Sullivan said.

"Apparently a longshoreman who was working on the vessel saw the message," he said, adding that the port had been closed as a precaution pending further investigation of the refrigerated ship, which was carrying a shipment of bananas from Guatemala.

A bomb squad from the Ventura County Sheriff's department using bomb-sniffing dogs found no trace of explosives on the vessel. Divers were also inspecting the hull.

A second Coast Guard spokesman said the threat appeared to be directed at Bush and his "Jewish cronies" and said, in part, "This nitro's for you."

The port of Hueneme, 60 miles (96 km) north of Los Angeles, is the only commercial deep water port between Los Angeles and San Francisco and serves as a point of import and export for automobiles, produce and forest products. Continued...
Obviously, there's no reason in today's world to be concerned about our NATIONAL SECURITY! So we shouldn't worry about our porous borders!