From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, with thanks to Jeffrey Imm:
Authorities removed a "suspicious package" containing what appeared to be a hand grenade from a rest room at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport today, an Atlanta police spokeswoman said this afternoon.Spokeswoman Marion Lee said a cleaning crew found a brown paper bag in a men's bathroom in the South Terminal at around 10:45 a.m. A police bomb unit was called, she said.
An X-ray of the bag revealed it contained a hand grenade with the pin pulled and "attached to something like a mobile radio," Lee said.
But authorities were less specific at a mid-afternoon news conference at Hartsfield, saying they were still trying to determine what was in the small package.
"Right now we do not know what we have," Atlanta police Sgt. Shad Hutchins said.
Discovery of the package prompted an evacuation of a portion of the south terminal, but the airport remained open and operations were largely unaffected.
The package was removed by early afternoon and the evacuated area was reopened.
Authorities at the news conference said the package was about the size of a chalkboard eraser and lay on a counter in the men's rest room. They said the package was wrapped in duct tape and had unspecified "components" on the outside.
The rest room and surrounding area were evacuated. Other rest rooms were checked but nothing was found, officials said.
The package was moved out of the rest room and, after being X-rayed, carried by robot to a bomb vessel.
Authorities said the package was "rendered safe" but declined to elaborate.
They did not say when they expect to release more information about the package's contents.
UPDATE: Now they are saying it was "a military flare containing a highly flammable substance." No more details yet.
UPDATE ON THIS STORY:
Atlanta Airport - FBI: 'Suspicious' Device a Flare
http://www.11alive.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=45327
Web Editor: Sean Rowe
Reported By: Jennifer Leslie
Last Modified: 4/7/2004 8:43:43 PM
A "suspicious" device found in the bathroom at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport Wednesday afternoon was determined to be a military flare containing a highly flammable substance, law-enforcement officials said.
Atlanta Police Sgt. Shad Hutchins told reporters a cleaning worker discovered the package in a men's bathroom in the South Terminal about 10:55 a.m. It was "in plain view on the counter," according to Airport General Manager Ben DeCosta.
Authorities said the worker notified the Transportation Security Administration at the airport, which in turn notified the Atlanta Police Department. A bomb squad and K-9 unit were dispatched to the airport to investigate.
After examining the device, including x-raying contents, authorities determined it to be "suspicious," Sgt. Hutchins said. Passengers were "rerouted in a limited way away from the bathroom" as law enforcement sent in a robot to contain and remove the device.
According to Sgt. Hutchins, the device was taken to a detonation area. The device was later determined to be a military flare after being examined by the Atlanta police department, bomb experts from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the FBI.
“This device could have caused very serious injury to anyone handling or tampering with the device,” a statement from the FBI said.
Over the course of two hours and 10 minutes, authorities conducted a secondary sweep of the South Terminal and other parts of the airport. DeCosta said he did not think it was necessary to evacuate the Main Concourse.
Although some passengers missed their flights, DeCosta said no other flights were delayed or canceled. The South Terminal and other affected areas were re-opened by 1 p.m., authorities said.
DeCosta said he was satisfied with how the situation was handled and with the airport's current security measures already in place.
"Those of you who use the airport know that we have constant announcements to bring to a police officer or staff member if there should be a suspicious package," he said.
The FBI is conducting an investigation into who may have brought the flare into the airport.
Airport officials are asking anyone who may have seen anything regarding the suspicious to call either (404) 650-2184 or the FBI at (404) 679-9000.
Thank goodness it was only a flare. "Only a Flare," a device that signals - danger, or here I am, I need help, etc. In this case, the signal is - Your security in one of the country's hub airports can be penetrated - I can disrupt your life, I did it once, I can do it again - You were lucky this time, it was "only a flare."
Be prepared for more such disruptions and perhaps for the follow through on the next occasion. Appeasement and dhimmitude ie safety and second class citizenship or violent struggle with an unknown outcome. These are both the hard choices of war. As a "free people," we know which choice to make.