Box Cutter in a Book

Test run?

The Clearwater man pleads guilty, saying he had forgotten about the box cutter.

The X-ray image of a box cutter inside Benjamin Baines Jr.’s backpack caught the attention of federal officers Sunday morning at Tampa International Airport.

But it was the packaging that really jolted them: a hollowed-out book that hid the razor-sharp tool. Also inside the backpack: a Koran, a Holy Bible and rap music lyrics referencing police, drugs and guns.

Baines, 21, of Clearwater told investigators he forgot the box cutter was inside the copy of Fear Itself when he packed his bag for a trip to Las Vegas, states a report by Tampa International Airport police.

He was charged with carrying a concealed weapon, a misdemeanor. He pleaded guilty Monday in Hillsborough County court and received a 30-day jail sentence. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is looking into the case but has not filed charges.

“What raises our concern is when an item is artfully concealed,” said Christopher White, a spokesman for the Transportation Security Administration. “It’s different than a box cutter inside a backpack.”

Baines could also face a civil charge, with a fine up to $10,000, for carrying a prohibited item through a checkpoint.

The US Attorney may recall another case where Muslims concealed box cutters aboard an airplane. Of course, lots of people carry a box cutter inside a hollowed-out book ...right?