Two Men Arrested Near Bridge Linking Detroit, Canada

Police say they had dynamite

April 21, 2003

DETROIT – Two men were arrested after police saw them videotaping the Ambassador Bridge, the busiest U.S.-Canada border crossing, and found dynamite, a collapsible baton and shotgun shells in their car.

Officers saw the men during a routine patrol late Sunday, police spokeswoman Bernadette Najor said. The men, who were not identified, were being questioned by the FBI, she said.

"Even though the homeland security level has been lowered, we're still patrolling our borders, and we're not taking any chances with our city," she said.

Police were holding the men, ages 26 and 30, on a felony charge of possessing a dangerous weapon because the officers found a collapsible baton – similar to one carried by police – in their car, Najor said.

Police were evaluating whether further charges should be filed for carrying two quarter-sticks of dynamite, which are comparable to M-80 firecrackers, Najor said.

Najor said the dynamite was not powerful enough to damage the bridge.

The men also had a tape recorder and photocopies of immigration papers, Najor said.

FBI Special Agent Dawn Clenney said Monday that agents were still following up on the arrests and could not release any additional information.

The Ambassador Bridge has about 10 million vehicle crossings every year and handles about 25 percent of all trade traffic between the United States and Canada.

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