Suspicious Package Prompts Passenger Delays At Newark Airport

NEWARK, N.J. (CBSNewYork) - A suspicious package caused to backups for travelers at Newark Liberty International Airport this morning after a device was detected during a TSA screening.

Port Authority police say the package was recovered from an Israeli citizen who had apparently arrived from Tel Aviv and was transferring to a United Airlines flight for Panama City, Florida.

There was no evacuation of Terminal C, but police said the third level was closed for a brief time. Seven of the nine screening lanes were currently closed but reopened later in the morning.

The owner of the suspicious package apparently told police he was a trainer who was en route to help local police as part of a training seminar and the material was to be used in training.

According to police, the passenger is in custody and the Essex County Bomb Squad was on scene at the airport. The device turned out to be harmless.