Tennessee cops seek 'Middle Eastern' men

Tennessee cops seek
'Middle Eastern' men
Tried to gain access to firearms factory
that makes .50-caliber rifles for military

Police are on the lookout for a man described as being of Middle Eastern descent who tried to gain access to a firearms plant.

Rutherford County sheriff's deputies were called to the Barrett Firearms Manufacturing Inc. plant Thursday, a day after a plant employee reported that a Middle Eastern-looking man had tried get inside the building.

Barrett Firearms makes .50-caliber rifles for the U.S. military, which has used them in combat since the 1991 Gulf war. The powerful gun is also sold to the general public.

Critics have warned that the rifle could be used by terrorists to bring down commercial airliners or penetrate rail cars and storage plants holding hazardous materials.

The plant worker said the man had asked questions about the plant and began demanding access when the employee did not respond, sheriff's spokesman Dan Goodwin said in a news release issued Friday.

The man was asked to leave after he became upset when the employee began to examine his pickup truck.

The white truck was described as having dual rear tires and towing a white utility trailer. Two other men were in the truck, and there was luggage in the bed of the vehicle.

The sheriff's office was working with officials at Barrett Firearms and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to pursue any leads.