American arrives in Germany with mini arsenal

BERLIN (Reuters) - German police stopped an American at Duesseldorf airport on Friday for carrying a pumpgun, two pistols and a combat knife in his luggage.

The 38-year-old man, en route to Switzerland from Florida, said he was not aware European security regulations required him to have special permission to transport the weapons.

Police found a .12 caliber pumpgun, a .357 magnum revolver, a Smith & Wesson "Long Rifle" and a combat knife.

The man told police he had alerted the airline that he would be carrying the weapons and was not aware he needed further permits. The police confiscated the weapons and fined him 450 euros ($633.1) before releasing him.

A police spokesman said they were investigating how the man managed to get the weapons through security checks in the United States.

(Reporting by Jacob Comenetz)