Taliban ‘Joke’ Creates Largo Bomb Scare

LARGO, FL — A Thursday afternoon bomb scare at the Red Lobster at the Largo Mall ended with a man in custody and no injuries reported.

According to the Largo Police Department, the 10500 Ulmerton Road restaurant’s manager called authorities around 3:06 p.m. Sept. 28 to report a suspicious customer. A man reportedly entered the eatery with a black bag in hand. The manager told police, the man commented to his hostess, “Just to make you smile, I work for the Taliban and I have a bomb in this bag.” (For more weather or local news from Florida, click here to sign up for real-time news alertsand newsletters from Largo Patch, and click here to find your local Florida Patch. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)

The man then reportedly asked for a booth near a window, an email from the police department said. He and a woman were seated away from other patrons. Staff members evacuated customers at the direction of the police department as officers set up a perimeter around the building.

Around 3:20 p.m., police say the man came out of the establishment. He reportedly told them “there was nothing in the bag and that he was just joking,” the email said.

Even so, the man, who is not being identified at this time, remained in police custody Thursday afternoon. Arrangements were being made with the Tampa Bomb Squad to check the bag.

No further information is available at this time.

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