White House: Men held because of suspicious luggage were not on terror watch lists

WH: Men held in Netherlands not on watch lists

WASHINGTON — White House spokesman Robert Gibbs says the two men being held in the Netherlands because of suspicious items in their luggage were not on any terror watch lists.

Gibbs told CNN on Tuesday that “a series of suspicious events” led to the detainment of the men, identified as Ahmed Mohamed Nasser al Soofi and Hezam al Murisi.

U.S. authorities found suspicious items in their checked luggage, including a cell phone taped to a Pepto-Bismol bottle and a knife and box cutter. The men were arrested Monday morning at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam and were being held there for questioning, Dutch prosecutors said Tuesday.

Gibbs promised “a vigorous investigation.”