Suspicious Device at Port of Miami Destroyed and Contained No Explosives (updated)
By Andrew Cochran
UPDATE, 4:19 pm ET: A "suspicious device" was found on a pallet at the Port of Miami, and the Coast Guard reported that six tests for explosives were positive for traces of the C4 plastic explosive. The package was included in provisions to be loaded aboard a large cruise ship leaving today. CNN and others reported that businesses nearby were asked to evacuate, and news choppers were advised to avoid the immediate area while the device is examined by the Miami-Dade County bomb squad. The bomb squad conducted a small controlled explosion on the dock, with no secondary explosion. Miami-Dade police note that the tests sometimes give a "false positive."
Port officials at a press conference announced just after 4 pm ET that the device contained no actual explosives and included sprinkler parts for the cruise ship. So this became a good test of the Miami-area homeland security and CT capabilities. There is no explanation of the positive tests for the C4 trace, and that gives the local officials something to fix.
Picture of controlled explosion of "suspicious device" (MSNBC)
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