Man Arrested With Suitcases at Capitol Deported

April 18, 2005

Man Arrested With Suitcases at Capitol Deported
April 18, 2005 – On April 11, This Just In covered a story involving a man captured at the Capitol with two suitcases. According to Homeland Security Department officials, the man has now been deported to Australia for violating the terms of his visa.

The man, Wen Hao Zhao, had stationed himself on the west side of the Capitol with two black suitcases and asked to see the president. After a standoff, he was tackled and dragged away by police who feared Zhao was a possible suicide bomber.

Police later blew up the suitcases, which contained a CD player.

Zhao is a native of China but an Australian citizen. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials report that Zhao entered the United Stated legally on April 8 with an Australian passport. He was admitted under a waiver program that allows citizens of certain countries entrance without a visa.

The visa waiver program has a public safety provision, which officials said Zhao violated when he prompted the Capitol scare.