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Schiphol Airport Reopens After Bomb Threat (PHOTOS)

Schiphol Airport

TOBY STERLING   02/13/12 09:52 AM ET  AP

AMSTERDAM -- A major disruption at Amsterdam's busy Schiphol Airport ended Monday after military police arrested a man who had locked himself in a toilet, claiming to have a bomb, officials said.

Authorities said that the operations at the airport – one of Europe's busiest aviation hubs – are back to normal after the incident led to the evacuation of two terminals and numerous flight delays.

Rob van Kapel, a spokesman for the military police, refused to say whether the man had explosives on him, but said the suspect does not present any further danger to the public. He said the suspect had been in communication with professional negotiators before he was taken into custody. Under Dutch privacy laws, the man's identity will not be disclosed.

Van Kapel said the man had hidden in a restroom on the upper floors of the airport, a panorama area accessible for people seeking to view planes taking off or landing.

He said prosecutors have begun a criminal investigation, and it was too early to say what charges the man might face or what his mental condition is.

On Christmas Day, 2009, Nigerian student Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab managed to smuggle explosives onto a flight from Schiphol to Detroit after flying into Amsterdam from Lagos.

He has pleaded guilty to trying to blow up the Northwest Airlines plane by injecting chemicals into a package of explosives concealed in his underwear and is due to be sentenced Thursday. He faces life imprisonment.

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HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
Amalek
Highly decorated HP warrior
04:16 AM on 02/14/2012
I have dropped a few bombs in airport toilets.  My fellow passengers prefer that to my ruining their flight by doing it after we take off.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Me Now
02:02 AM on 02/14/2012
I'm going to go lock myself in the bathroom and drop my daily bomb now!
anilimili
compassion trumps hatred
05:17 PM on 02/13/2012
Seems that the....um....nether areas are a focus of those wannabe bombers--one hides stuff in his underwear, another hides where one's underwear is usually off... Sounds like a mentally ill person to me--after attention of fame or who know what. Hopefully they'll keep him where the sun don't shine so that the rest of us can continue to move about our lives freely.
04:43 PM on 02/13/2012
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GraphicMatt
Somebody make me a sandwich!
03:58 PM on 02/13/2012
Sometimes when I use the restroom I refer to what's about to happen as "dropping a bomb". Of course, I wouldn't use that wording at an airport.
03:00 PM on 02/13/2012
Luckily that did not happen in the USA. The TSA would have forbidden using airport toilets.
03:11 PM on 02/13/2012
Only if they could not watch
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badboyzs
If you have cheated in life, then you are a liar.
02:38 PM on 02/13/2012
Most European Police do not carry a gun....I lived in England and the Police except for the M-15 forces do not carry a gun and when confronted they run! Now, how effective is that? Pretty darn daft!
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HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
Amalek
Highly decorated HP warrior
04:17 AM on 02/14/2012
Compare crime rates with the U.S. and you will see it is very effective.
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badboyzs
If you have cheated in life, then you are a liar.
08:17 AM on 02/14/2012
I happen to live in the USA and Britain, and the crime rate is higher here in Britain. So do you think a policeperson who is not armed can confront a criminal? You are very wrong....look at the tragedy with Mr. Moats last year in England....can you explain that to me? The cops had no guns and Moats continued on killing!
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badboyzs
If you have cheated in life, then you are a liar.
08:18 AM on 02/14/2012
As a follow-up, the crime rates are lowest in the USA!
02:18 PM on 02/13/2012
This is subjective, but I can't help but notice that european police -- even when wearing armor -- are trim compared to the overweight beefy counterparts we have here. Is this diet or working out?
pizzmoe
My micro bio is empty
01:34 AM on 02/14/2012
Less donuts?
02:02 PM on 02/13/2012
They let you keep your shoes on when you go through security at Schiphol. This was the policy when we were there in 2008.
pizzmoe
My micro bio is empty
01:35 AM on 02/14/2012
That's because actual adults are in charge there.
01:25 PM on 02/13/2012
"On Christmas Day, 2009, Nigerian student Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab managed to smuggle explosives onto a flight from Schiphol to Detroit" Has anyone ever read the official report on the Umar character? I was looking at it the other day and read witness accounts that "A man in a suit escorted Umar past security screening". Multiple passengers claimed to have seen this. Did it make the official report???? No.
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HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
Amalek
Highly decorated HP warrior
04:17 AM on 02/14/2012
Cheney's people still at work, huh?
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
bmitche
01:22 PM on 02/13/2012
I'm sure that caused some anxiety.
11:27 AM on 02/13/2012
Schiphol? They misheard.
The man locked himself in bathroom, claimed to have a BONG.
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badboyzs
If you have cheated in life, then you are a liar.
02:42 PM on 02/13/2012
With the wacky weed!