Thread: Armed pair held at Central Command base

Armed pair held at Central Command base

June 14, 2010 10:14 p.m. EDT

MacDill Air Force Base, Florida (CNN) -- A heavily armed man and woman were in custody Monday after trying to enter the Air Force base that houses the headquarters for U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan without authorization, an Air Force spokeswoman said.

The pair were stopped at a gate at MacDill Air Force Base about 5 p.m. after they could not show proper identification, Senior Airman Katherine Holt said. A search of the vehicle after they were detained found military-style uniforms and gear and several "rifle-type" weapons, Holt said.

The two were being questioned Monday evening, another Air Force spokeswoman, Elizabeth Gosselin, told CNN.

Authorities cordoned off their sport-utility vehicle and searched it using a robot, but no explosives were found, Holt said. Video showed base personnel removing weapons, ammunition and military-style clothing from the vehicle.

The Tampa, Florida, installation houses the headquarters of U.S.Central Command, which runs the U.S. wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as the U.S. Special Operations Command. One gate into the facility was closed, but another remained open, the base command reported.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/06/14/florid ... gletoolbar

Two Men Accused of Trying to Enter Air Force Base Illegally With Weapons

Published June 14, 2010

Military-style gear and weapons were found inside the vehicle of two men who attempted to gain illegal entry to MacDill Air Force Base in Florida Monday, according to a United States Air Force statement.

The two men were in custody after trying to access the base about 5:00 p.m. local time through the Bayshore Gate. They were stopped when they were unable to show proper identification.

An inspection of their vehicle found military-style gear and weapons. No explosives were found but the incident is still under investigation.

The Bayshore Gate is closed but the rest of MacDill, including the Dale Mabry Gate, is operating normally.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/06/14/me ... y-weapons/

Officials: Man who tried entering base was AWOL

By MITCH STACY, Associated Press Writer
Tuesday, June 15, 2010 at 9:08 a.m.

TAMPA, Fla. — A man arrested as he tried to enter MacDill Air Force Base with weapons and ammunition in his car is a serviceman listed as being absent without leave, base officials said Tuesday.

Air Force Col. Dave Cohen released few details about Monday night's arrest at the base that houses the U.S. command center for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

But Cohen said it doesn't appear to have been a terrorism attempt. He did not release the serviceman's name, his military branch or the name of the woman who was with him. Both are in their mid-20s, Cohen said.

The couple's car contained three handguns, three rifles and some ammunition, Cohen said. He said they tried to drive onto the base at about 5 p.m. at a remote gate and flashed phony military identification but were stopped by the guards.

They cooperated when they were asked to get out of the car. The guns and ammo were found during a search, Cohen said.

"At no point was the security of MacDill Air Force Base breached. The system worked exactly as it was supposed to," Cohen said.

MacDill is the home of U.S. Central Command, which oversees operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

An FBI agent fatally shot a veteran at the base last month after an altercation

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010 ... -was-awol/