But subsequent forensic investigation showed that the design of his shoe bomb followed specific details in training manuals found by American forces at training camps in Afghanistan.
It remains unknown who built the shoe bomb, but investigators doubt it was Mr. Reid.
After Muslims attack with shoe bombs, they want to investigate shoes.
He had been pursuing an article about Richard Reid, the man arrested after trying to ignite a shoe bomb on a flight in December.
They both were given "shoe bombs", casual footwear adapted to be covertly smuggled onto aircraft before being used to destroy them.
And most recently, a man tried to detonate a shoe bomb on a flight to Miami.
The days before the concerns were shoe bombs and stun guns.
For FBI terror alerts and information about shoe bombs and security on transportation go to www.fbi.gov.
He included anthrax anxiety, Goliath syndrome, religio-terror, shoe bomb, Talibanize and World Trade Center cough.
