Dutch police question men who arrived at Amsterdam from Chicago

[Basil]

BBC News - Dutch police question two men on trans-Atlantic flight (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11134521)

Security staff found one mobile phone taped to a bottle of Pepto-Bismol, three other mobile phones taped together and several watches, also taped together. A box-cutter and three large knives were also found, ABC said.
But the man was cleared for travel, as no explosives were found, the US network said, quoting officials.
Once at Chicago, one of the pair checked his luggage on to a flight for Yemen but boarded the flight to Amsterdam,
NBC News reported that US concern about the latest incident was "low", but the authorities wanted to make sure this was not an attempt to test airline security prior to a future attack.

He said his cousin had probably been taking electronic equipment and medication back home and had simply taped together items intended for the same recipient.

[oldbaldeagle]

A perfectly reasonable explanation and a common enough practise to check your luggage on one flight and board another. On the other hand, are there direct flights EHAM to GITMO?

[denlopviper]

I know my friend's wife won’t travel alone exactly for that reason :}. twice her baggaed ended up in the NYC while she landed in toronto. I am still surprised that she and her luggage ended up on the same continent :E

Everyone I know bundles stuff together which are meant for different people. Cheaper to use the neighbor than FedEx :}

[wozzo]

A perfectly reasonable explanation and a common enough practise to check your luggage on one flight and board another.

Question from the sideline:

Wouldn't it be the job of the airline to ensure that checked bagage travels with the passenger? Can I say at the counter: I'd like to change my itineray, but please send my bagage on another route?

[Avman]

Once at Chicago, one of the pair checked his luggage on to a flight for Yemen but boarded the flight to Amsterdam,

a common enough practise to check your luggage on one flight and board another

:= Not common at all except by accident (misrouted bag). I presume that the pax and his bag were checked-in to their final destination flying via Amsterdam. The contents of the bag were presumably spotted when the bag was in transit at AMS.

[Lon More]

US concern about the latest incident was "low",

I'd be a bit more concerned about the box cutter

http://www.sz-wholesale.com/uploadFiles/upimg9/Box-Cutter-Knife-20339.JPG

[wozzo]

I'd be a bit more concerned about the box cutter

In checked bagage? What could possibly happen?

[golfyankeesierra]

I presume that the pax and his bag were checked-in to their final destination flying via Amsterdam. The contents of the bag were presumably spotted when the bag was in transit at AMS.
According dutch news the men missed their (domestic) connection from Chicago to Washington, and were rerouted via Amsterdam. Their bagage still ended up in Washington.

My guess is that when the bagage arrived in Washington before the men landed at AMS, it was probably (randomly?) checked at Washinton and the contents discovered. And due to the short timeframe, it was decided to inform dutch authorities before all details were known.

Fact is while the men are in AMS, their bagage is still in the US.