Man who tried entering base was AWOL

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — A man arrested as he tried to enter MacDill Air Force Base with weapons and ammunition in his car is a serviceman listed as being absent without leave, base officials said Tuesday.

Air Force Col. Dave Cohen released few details about Monday night’s arrest at the base that houses the U.S. command center for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

But Col. Cohen said it doesn’t appear to have been a terrorism attempt. He did not release the serviceman’s name, his military branch or the name of the woman who was with him. Both are in their mid-20s, Col. Cohen said.

The couple’s car contained three handguns, three rifles and some ammunition, Col. Cohen said. He said they tried to drive onto the base at about 5 p.m. at a remote gate and flashed phony military identification but were stopped by the guards.

They cooperated when they were asked to get out of the car. The guns and ammo were found during a search, Col. Cohen said.

“At no point was the security of MacDill Air Force Base breached. The system worked exactly as it was supposed to,” Col. Cohen said.

MacDill is the home of U.S. Central Command, which oversees operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

An FBI agent fatally shot a veteran at the base last month after an altercation.

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