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Crime

Saudi Man Arrested at JFK After TSA Discovers Stun Weapons in Luggage

Sep. 24, 2011 10:15pm Christopher Santarelli

A 54-year-old Saudi man was arrested in a first-class lounge at JFK airport outside New York City Friday.

Mohamed Hefni was apprehended after Transportation Security Administration agents spotted a stun gun and four other weapons in Hefni’s checked bag for a flight to Riyadh.

After TSA agents first noticed the gun’s outline during a routine screening, they opened Hefni’s package. Inside they discovered a fully operable battery-powered electric stun gun, three electric stun batons, an electric stun pen, and a large can of pepper spray, authorities told the New York Post.

Hefni’s lives in New York City and was arrested by Port Authority cops on misdemeanor weapons charges. The New York Times reports that Hefni was released Friday evening without bail, and a TSA spokeswomen told the Times that “We do not believe this was related to terrorism.”

Hefni told the police he had bought the weapons “for his protection,” according to court papers, and NY1 reports that the man told TSA agents the weapons were to protect his family in Saudi Arabia. Hefni was charged with five misdemeanor counts of illegal weapons possession, each of which carries a penalty of up to a year in prison.

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Comments (104)

Whirling Dervish
Posted on September 25, 2011 at 1:18am
Wow, a battery powered one huh??

if it was a 9 volter send him to the chair, 1.5 volter; lock him for life..

….. love the TSA, spot on they are genius. I vote cavity check for additional AA batteries.

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stumblemouth
Posted on September 25, 2011 at 1:11am
I hope they tested the stunguns out on the guy before accusing him of anything. If they didn’t work, it could’ve been embarrassing.

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One Man Progressive Wrecking Crew
Posted on September 25, 2011 at 12:25am
If we don’t take up the policy of blatant profiling and the easiest fix of all anywhere where people gather and transportation hubs and that is this: “All Muslims line up over here, everyone else enjoy your flight or what have you, and the non terrorists will be with you if they pass their anal exams”….

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- motherof18
  Posted on September 25, 2011 at 12:51am
  You should run for president. Best post I’ve seen in a long time.
  
  Report this comment
- One Man Progressive Wrecking Crew
  Posted on September 25, 2011 at 3:24am
  Thanks, except I kinda left off the last sentence..oops…
  
  meant to end with…. it’s just a matter of WHEN, as 912 ‘s just a heartbeat away. They’re probing left and right
  
  Report this comment
- Bill Rowland
  Posted on September 25, 2011 at 5:48am
  Like your idea bur kinda agree with PIGPEN – A boycott of the airoines for a week especially around Thanksgiving would get the attention of the airlines and Homeland Security.
  
  OMG – Psalm 109:8
  
  Report this comment
- chazman
  Posted on September 25, 2011 at 6:15am
  … can’t profile. It’s not politically correct, according to our Liberal Marxist politicians (Democrats).
  
  Report this comment
TomFerrari
Posted on September 25, 2011 at 12:09am
Oh, my!

Did he have a pocket knife in his CHECKED LUGGAGE, too?
Did they find his “marital aids” too?
Maybe he also had a whip and a pair of handcuffs?

That’s OUR TAX DOLLARS at work for us !

The TSA is a joke and needs to be disbanded. IF any replacement is needed, then, it needs to be professional LEO’s and retired/returning military, TRAINED in law enforcement, not just whoever was unemployed at the time and could pass a background check.

Puh-leeze.
.
.
.

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- barber2
  Posted on September 25, 2011 at 12:25am
  Agree about the quality and employment requirements that should be in effect for TSA. Problem is that it is GOVERNMENT administered. Just wait until the UNION gets its claws into this government department !
  
  Report this comment
izzy1127
Posted on September 24, 2011 at 11:58pm
Administrative Code of the City of New York 10-135 Prohibition on sale and possession of electronic stun guns.

a. As used in this section, “electronic stun gun” shall mean any device designed primarily as a weapon, the purpose of which is to stun, render unconscious or paralyze a person by passing an electronic shock to such person, but shall not include an “electronic dart gun” as such term is defined in section 265.00 of the penal law.

b. It shall be unlawful for any person to sell or offer for sale or to have in his or her possession within the jurisdiction of the city any electronic gun.

c. Violation of this section shall be a class A misdemeanor. [Exemptions under this section are provided for police officers operating under regular department procedures or guidelines and for manufacturers of electronic stun guns scheduled for bulk shipment. NOTE: The electronic stun gun is not a "firearm" under the Federal Gun Control Act of 1968 because it does not "...expel a projectile by the action of an explosive..."]

SUMMARY: Possession and sales of Stunning Devices are banned in New York City

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- izzy1127
  Posted on September 25, 2011 at 12:03am
  Yeah, NYC sux even more than I thought. Taking away defensive mechanisms means more crime? YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ball bats will be next…….. lol
  
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- babylonvi
  Posted on September 25, 2011 at 12:30am
  He should left from FL. No harm, no foul. Frankly, it amazes me that anyone but cops and criminals still live in NY City. With the additional exception of the Elite Robber Barrons who can afford 24/7 armed body guards.
  
  Report this comment
- uisignorant
  Posted on September 26, 2011 at 7:57am
  That maybe, but I would think an airport would fall under Federal law and not local.
  In this situation I could have a connecting flight through NY and be arrested when it was legal to have them from where I went to where I am going.
  
  Report this comment
trueblueday
Posted on September 24, 2011 at 11:51pm
What if there was something highly explosive in that checked bag? What if he was a terrorist that was ready and willing to die going down in a ball of flames? Fortunately, there were only weapons and a stun gun. I hope the TSA continues to be on their game.

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izzy1127
Posted on September 24, 2011 at 11:49pm
“Pepper Sprays cannot be shipped outside the continental US, including Alaska, Hawaii, and US Territories.” Now, is putting this in your luggage and leaving the US considered shipping? Still looking for the restrictions on stun guns, but probably the same.

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- hojo
  Posted on September 25, 2011 at 8:24am
  I don’t understand what your question is. I do know you can’t take pepper spray across the border into Canada.
  
  Report this comment
Ron_WA
Posted on September 24, 2011 at 11:42pm
I feel safer knowing that the TSA will keep those stun batons out of people’s checked baggage.

Actually it is somewhat comforting to know they are at least looking for dangerous weapons even if they aren’t able to identify an actual threat from a irrelevant one.

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capitalismrocks
Posted on September 24, 2011 at 11:38pm
Thats a lot of heavy duty equipment to just “forget” was in his luggage…. maybe he thought because he was Arab, they would let him pass with little to no inspections which seemed to be occurring a while back. Glad to see somebody in the TSA was actually awake and watching today.

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- shotzie
  Posted on September 25, 2011 at 2:32am
  never said he ‘forgot’ they were there, he said he was taking them to SA to protect his family. These are items Americans are free to own and buy – thank God. (unless apparently you live in NYC, or probably CA). How was he a danger to anyone with them in his checked bag? He had no access to them. If anything it may be a Saudi problem when he gets off the plane if he is not, as he said, bringing them to protect his family. Glad the TSA checked, but they should have left him alone and let him on his way.
  
  Report this comment
Dougral Supports Israel
Posted on September 24, 2011 at 11:01pm
I’m not seeing a huge issue here. He can’t get to the items in his checked baggage during the flight and he is taking them out of the country. Let Saudi customs deal with it. TSA could forward the finding on to them, if they care.

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- obama-mecca-me-sick
  Posted on September 24, 2011 at 11:16pm
  The TSA searched a Saudi??!! Now that is news!
  
  Report this comment
- TXPilot
  Posted on September 24, 2011 at 11:17pm
  Hmm…..doesn’t seem like a big deal to have a stun gun…..or as they are known in Saudi Arabia and the rest of the Muslim world as “marital aids”……the man has to have some way to keep his wife “in line” doesn’t he?………ugh….the sarcasm involved in me even trying to defend this idiot in a joking manner made me throw up in my mouth a little bit…….filthy d@mn Muslim…..
  
  Report this comment
- Van Bones
  Posted on September 24, 2011 at 11:34pm
  Hey TXPILOT, I was only aware of the muslims use of these “tools” for teaching aids for their kids in cave academy.
  
  Report this comment
poverty.sucks
Posted on September 24, 2011 at 11:00pm
If failure to disclose possession of illegal weapons are only misdemeanor charges, where’s the seriousness of the offense?

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CulperGang
Posted on September 24, 2011 at 10:59pm
Napolitano, you ever think of banning ME persons from the West altogether??? Nah, you imbeciles are either traitors of idiots and don’t recognize what an enemy looks like. Here here is a hint:\\

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6xdYDbxZnI&feature=related

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nannyatnannydotgov
Posted on September 24, 2011 at 10:58pm
Stun guns are illegal in NY City but illegals are legal.

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mizflame98
Posted on September 24, 2011 at 10:52pm
The irony is the TSA tells us to put any contraband we might have on our person in our checked in baggage. This guy does it from the get go and he gets arrested. I think he got busted because all that stuff might be illegal in NYC. I wouldn’t be surprised if that was the case.

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- Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
  Posted on September 24, 2011 at 10:59pm
  Indeed, anyone want to figure if this may have been another probe by Al Queda or one of their affiliate bands to test security and what they could get through the TSA (which is about anything)?
  
  Report this comment
- toto
  Posted on September 24, 2011 at 11:02pm
  This is a good point. Can you go through JFK with items that are legal where you live when you are just flying out of there and do not reside in NYC?
  
  Report this comment
- Mil Mom
  Posted on September 24, 2011 at 11:22pm
  @Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
  Posted on September 24, 2011 at 10:59pm
  Indeed, anyone want to figure if this may have been another probe by Al Queda or one of their affiliate bands to test security and what they could get through the TSA (which is about anything)?
  ***
  But why would they test if they could take them OUT of the country.
  My, more pressing question is, if he was arrested at an airport, leaving the country, ‘WHY WOULD THEY RELEASE HIM WITHOUT BAIL ON FELONIES? I thought when someone is arrested, he is released IF HE’S NOT CONSIDERED DANGEROUS, or, A FLIGHT RISK???”
  
  Report this comment
ronaldreaganthegreat
Posted on September 24, 2011 at 10:43pm
Oh geez, another muslim terrorist doing this, really…?

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chips1
Posted on September 24, 2011 at 10:43pm
A white guy with nail clippers? Holy crap!!!!!!!!!!!!

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pwatkins
Posted on September 24, 2011 at 10:42pm
So the TSA would not have opened a Saudi man’s package if they had not seen the outline of a gun….hmmm how interesting…not shocking though. I guess they will have to let him go since he was only going to protect his family from the ifidels…just ask the liberal media if that wouldn’t be the right thing to do.

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beekeeper
Posted on September 24, 2011 at 10:38pm
Checked baggage – he couldn’t do anything with it on the plane unless he got into the cargo bay and somehow found his suitcase…

I frequently travel with many items in my checked bag that would be considered ‘contraband’ in my carry-on luggage, like nail clippers, scissors, pocket knives, matches, large containers of liquid, etc.

What, exactly is the problem?

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broker0101
Posted on September 24, 2011 at 10:36pm
As always, our ridiculous airport “security” system looks for weapons instead of looking for terrorists. What a joke.

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barber2
Posted on September 24, 2011 at 10:31pm
If I lived in any Middle East Muslim country, I ‘d want more than a stun gun in today’s world . And it was in his checked luggage!

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banjarmon
Posted on September 24, 2011 at 10:31pm
Saudi Man Arrested….same nationality as the attackers of 9-11???// HUMMMMM

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wordweaver
Posted on September 24, 2011 at 10:29pm
What a total tool! Bail denied.

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13th Imam
Posted on September 24, 2011 at 10:26pm
Checked bag? So he was going to climb into the cargo bay in flight and hijack the flight. Just use common sense and find the real terrorists.

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Al J Zira
Posted on September 24, 2011 at 10:23pm
After TSA agents first noticed the gun’s outline during a routine screening, they opened Hefni’s package.

Friggin TSA! They see the guns in a routine screening and still open his package. I think they’ve all turned into a bunch of perverts.

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- EODdevon
  Posted on September 25, 2011 at 3:36pm
  Rotflmao!!!!1
  
  Report this comment
Sicboy
Posted on September 24, 2011 at 10:22pm
This is completely innocent. The Saudi’s are our friends. Just ask Bush and Obama. Wait, their nothing but lying politicians. Who can we trust?

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- CulperGang
  Posted on September 24, 2011 at 11:02pm
  Exactly! http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=THrltK9cGo8
  
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