Airline security review as Shropshire man's trial due

A major review of airline security was under way today after a Shropshire man was caught allegedly smuggling 80 guns in his suitcase on transatlantic passenger flights.

Former US Marine Steven Greenoe - who has a home in St George's Street, Frankwell, Shrewsbury - was arrested in July after he was allegedly caught with the dismantled guns in a number of suitcases which he had carried on a passenger flight to Manchester.

The 37-year-old, who describes himself as a private security consultant, is currently awaiting trial in America.

His wife Elizabeth, who gave birth to their twin boys in October, is said by police to have been unaware of her husband's alleged gun smuggling until their Shrewsbury home was raided by police last year.

The case - reported by the Shropshire Star at the time - has now prompted a review of security on all transatlantic flights.

Reports said that crisis talks were held between London and Washington over the apparent breach in security.

One counter-terrorism source said: "This situation calls for an urgent reassessment of airport security in the States."

Another source added: "The fact that he was able to carry on undetected for so long is bad.

"That he was stopped at least once with guns in his bag and was then allowed to catch his flight is astonishing."

Janet Napolitano, the US Homeland Security Secretary, has called for greater international co-operation on aviation security as a result of the cargo plane bomb alert last October and the Christmas 2009 suicide bomb attempt on a jet landing at Detroit.

The trail to Greenoe's arrest started when an investigation led by the British regional task force was launched after police in the North West recovered a number of new hand guns.

Earlier this month Greenoe's mother's home in Raleigh, North Carolina, was searched and three handguns, two shotguns, a rifle, cases for carrying firearms and various documents were seized in the raid.

It is understood he stayed with his mother when he visited the area.

Greenoe faces two charges including the unlawful shipping of a firearm on a commercial airline without notifying the carrier of the weapons and knowingly or wilfully attempting to illegally export 16 firearms from the US to the UK without previously obtaining an export licence.

At the time of Greenoe's arrest, his neighbours in St George's Street said they saw officers and sniffer dogs scouring the ex-marine's home and the stair carpet could be seen ripped up.

They did not want to make any comment today and Mrs Greenoe was not at home.

What Steven Greenoe is accused of doing in 2010:

• February 16: Bought five Glock pistols.

• March 6: Arrived in the US from Manchester.

• March 8: Bought two Glock 9mm pistols.

• March 9: Bought two more Glock 9mm pistols.

• March 28: Bought three 9mm pistols.

• May 2: Bought five 9mm pistols.

• May 3: Questioned by officers at the airport. Luggage screened and multiple firearms found. Told officers that he was a salesman and had been to a gun show.

• May 28: Bought two 9mm pistols, one .45 calibre pistol and seven Glock 19 9mm pistols.

• June 16: Bought eight 9mm pistols.

• July 6: Bought six Ruger SR9 9mm pistols along with a Browning, Grade III, 12 gauge shotgun.

• July 7: Bought five more Ruger 9mm pistols.

• July 19: Arrived in the US and denied carrying the firearms overseas.

• July 20: Bought 12 Ruger 9mm pistols.

• July 24: Surveillance operation showed him buying more guns and then working on them in a garage.

• July 25: Bags searched and 16 pistol slides and 16 pistol barrels found in a pelican case. Sixteen lower pistol receivers were also found.

• July 25: Arres-ted at Raleigh-Durham Airport.

By Kirsty Smallman