Two Men Detained for Posing Potential Threat to Bush, Quayle

Secret Service agents in San Diego and Hamtramck, Mich., Monday detained men who posed potential threats to candidates, one for reportedly carrying an electric stun gun during a campaign appearance by Vice President George Bush and another who allegedly was spotted with dynamite shortly before a campaign appearance by GOP vice presidential candidate Dan Quayle.

In San Diego, Steve Sergek, special agent in charge of the Secret Service field office, said a 31-year-old man came within a few yards of the vice president when an agent suddenly spotted the electrical device partially tucked inside a pouch hanging from the back of the man’s belt.

Used Poor Judgment

The man was questioned for several hours and then released when officials determined that he had not intended to harm the vice president. Sergek said the man’s “only crime was in using very poor judgment” in bringing the weapon, which may be carried legally, to the political rally.

He said the man told them that he purchased the device about six weeks ago at a swap meet and occasionally carried it for self-protection. He was not identified.

In Hamtramck, a man was detained by the Secret Service after a parade-goer reported seeing him carrying dynamite.

The Secret Service said the device, which looked like several sticks of dynamite wrapped in duct tape, turned out to be fake.

“It was made up to look like a bomb. It would have fooled me and anybody else,” said Jim Huse, special agent in charge of the Secret Service field office in Detroit.

A 38-year-old Hamtramck man was arrested on charges of interfering with a Secret Service agent and was held at the Secret Service office pending arraignment later Monday, Huse said. He said he didn’t know the man’s reasons for having the device.

Missed Parade Appearance

Because of the incident, Quayle’s departure for Hamtramck from the Detroit City Airport was delayed and he missed a scheduled walk in Hamtramck’s Polish Day Parade, Huse said.

Instead, Quayle gave a five-minute speech at the reviewing stand before leaving.

Another man was taken into custody but was released after police determined he knew nothing of the incident, Huse said.