T.F. Green Official: Knife on Jet Put Aboard in Another City

WARWICK - Investigators have determined that the utility knife found on the floor of a Continental Airlines flight at T.F. Green Airport Saturday was brought on board during a previous stop in another city, Kevin Hopkins, the acting airport police chief, said yesterday.

"We don't think it was due to any malicious intent," Hopkins said.

Flight 3001, bound for Newark, N.J., was boarding at about 2 p.m. when the knife was discovered. Airport police and Transportation Security Administration officials searched the plane and re-screened about 45 people who had already boarded.

The investigation concluded that a person brought the knife on board during one of the flight's two previous stops, Hopkins said. He declined to name the airport, saying the authorities there were not finished conducting a security review. He would not identify the person who brought the knife, other than to say that the person was not a passenger.

No one has been charged, but the case remains under investigation by authorities at the other airport and by the FBI, Hopkins said.

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