Arrest made in threat
against cruise ship
Law enforcement officials have arrested a person in connection with the threatening notes that were found last week aboard Royal Caribbean's Legend of the Seas cruise ship.
A news release from the U.S. Attorney's office this morning said someone has been arrested on the cruise ship but offered no further details.
U.S. Attorney Ed Kubo declined comment this morning but his office scheduled a news conference for today to announce the arrest.
The cruise ship, which was diverted to Honolulu for a day before it was allowed to continue to the neighbor islands, returned to Honolulu this morning on its scheduled final stop.
The ship, with 1,668 passengers and 701 crew members aboard, was bound for the Big Island Wednesday but authorities diverted it to Honolulu after two notes were found in a ladies' restroom.
The two anonymous hand-written notes contained vague threats against the ship, its passengers and its crew, said Daniel Dzwilewski, special agent in charge of the FBI's Honolulu office. The notes were found separately by a passenger and a maintenance worker late Tuesday, he said.
Investigators, which included members from the Honolulu Police Department, Coast Guard, immigration, customs and other agencies, boarded the ship for security sweeps and a third note was uncovered.
Royal Caribbean officials did not believe the threats were credible but agreed with the decision to divert the ship to Honolulu, said Lynn Martenstein, spokeswoman for the Miami-based Royal Caribbean.
Martenstein said the first two notes had no mention of a bomb or other explosive device.
The cruise ship was ordered to anchor about a miles south of Honolulu and officials questioned the passengers and crew, who were kept aboard. The order was lifted early Thursday morning.
The ship was on a 10-night cruise that departed Ensenada, Mexico, and is to conclude the cruise in Honolulu today after visiting the Big Island, Maui and Kauai.