Terror Suspect Disrupts Travel in Baltimore

BALTIMORE, Md. (WJZ)-- The discovery of pipe bombs outside an Elizabeth, New Jersey train station disrupted travel on Amtrak's entire northeast corridor, impacting thousands of riders in Baltimore.

One passenger, Luther Champ, said his train was delayed 20 minutes.

"Because anything can happen, and it's so easy for someone to grab luggage and put a bomb in it," said Amtrak passenger Marlen Soto.

About an hour after the schedules were back on track, Ahmad Rahami, the Afghani-born, naturalized U.S. citizen was arrested in Linden, New jersey. He's believed to be behind bombings that rattled the New York city area, including in a Manhattan neighborhood and during race on the Jersey Shore.

"A terrorist organization or a lone wolf might look at what's an easier target where the security might not be so high, " said Mike Vesely of the University of Maryland, Center for Health and Homeland Security.

He's talking about soft targets, where potential terror suspects can make an impact with less risk.

"If you're looking at it from the perspective of an attacker, their balancing it as what's the impact versus what's the security I'd have to face," said Vesely.

It was an alert citizen who called police with the tip that led to Rahami's capture, Vesely said. "In many cases, that's the best defense we have.
People shouldn't live in fear, but they should always be aware of their surroundings, and if you think about what's the most effective way. To stop terrorism, it's a well informed public that's aware of its surroundings."

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