I hope he wasn't that ignorant that he did something stupid. I would give him the benefit of the doubt initially as I would have thought that checked bag screening would have identified the offending devices if they were smuggled onboard in checked bags.
I can't imagine you would slip them through pax screening, but stranger things have happened I suppose, though having made such a song and dance about it you would think any staff dealing with him would be wary of him and his desire to cart the devices onboard.
So I would give him the benefit of the doubt unless his future rants prove me wrong
