Homeland SecurityThree men of middle eastern descent have been arrested after trying to enter the Port of Miami.

One of the men had a ‘day pass’ to enter the port. He was driving an 18-wheeler. When he gave suspicious answers when questioned by authorities he was detained. When the cab of his truck was searched two other men were found hiding in the cab. They are all currently in the custody of the F.B.I. and we are awaiting a news conference.

The F.B.I., the Port Authority and Homeland Security are all investigating what is going on in Miami.

From the Miami Herald

Suspicious truck stopped at the Port of Miami-Dade
By ALDO NAHED and ROB BARRY
rbarry@miamiherald.com

Federal and county authorities have arrested as many as three Middle Eastern men at the Port of Miami-Dade after they tried to enter the facility Sunday morning without proper paperwork, officials said.

An FBI spokeswoman in Miami said an Iraqi semi-truck driver trying to get into the port was been arrested after the cargo in his truck did not match what was declared on the truck’s manifest.

A second Iraqi national and third Lebanese national were found hiding inside the truck, the official said.

”Right now, we’re trying to figure out what these men were trying to do,” said Judy Orihuela, the FBI spokeswoman. A press conference will be held later today.

She said the incident began when the Iraqi driver tried to make a delivery at the port and was told he needed a day pass.

During the questioning, inconsistencies surfaced as to the cargo. The two men hiding were found during a search of the truck, she said.

The incident prompted a shut-down of the port as members of several federal, local and state law enforcement agencies converged on the busy facility. Among the agencies responding was the Center for Domestic Preparedness, an agency that deals with suspected weapons of mass destruction.

Orihuela said the men appear to be in the U.S. legally and have resident status. They are not on any watch list.

Authorities in Washington, D.C. have been notified of the incident, Orihuela said.

Herald Staff Writer Jay Weaver and Luisa Yanez contributed to this report


All three men are in the United States illegally. From the Conservative Voice

UPDATE: While the Homeland Security Department identified the three men involved as illegal aliens, the FBI reports the men, all of Middle Eastern descent, are in the country legally and do not appear on any terrorist watch list.

A bomb squad has been called in and they are conducting a search of the area from where the truck carrying the suspects departed.

Wizbang says ‘This does not sound good.’

Linda at Something …. and Half of Something has updates from Miami.

3:20 UPDATE: According to the Miami Herald, “Federal sources said the manifest described the cargo was auto parts, but that is not what was found. Instead, authorities found two 55-gallon containers in the back of the truck.”

3:30 p.m. UPDATE: The 24/7 news is doing fill-in waiting for the press conference. So the guy on FOX is saying things like ‘we see this sort of thing all the time’. HUH?? When exactly have we seen three middle eastern men hiding in the cab of a truck trying to sneak INTO a major American port?? Maybe it’s just me!

Gateway Pundit has Fox News video.

Weblogging is watching CNN’s coverage.

Ms. Underestimated has video and wonders ….

Post Script: I wonder how long it will take for C.A.I.R. and/or the A.C.L.U. to get involved? Well, knowing these groups, they’ve probably already sent lawyers en masse to the Miami port.

Others following this: Uncooperative Blogger, A Blog for All, Hot Air, Conservative Times, Suitably Flip, Blogs of War,