Students cleared to return to Rutgers Newark dorm

NEWARK, N.J. — The FBI determined Wednesday there was no threat to students on the Newark campus of Rutgers University after a student was arrested and his dorm was searched for potentially hazardous substances following a tip from authorities in South Dakota.

Helen Paxton, a school spokeswoman, said the FBI's investigation of the dorm had concluded by late Wednesday afternoon, and students were allowed to re-enter the building — which had been evacuated twice in two days. Earlier in the day, students had gathered behind police tape in a large cordoned-off area around the dorm building, trading rumors about what was going on.

Police arrested sophomore Elan Haba of North Caldwell on Tuesday night on various charges and evacuated his dorm for about two hours after potentially dangerous materials were found and removed. The 19-year-old was arrested following a tip from authorities at The University of South Dakota, where a former student with an alleged connection to Haba had been found with suspicious materials.

Haba was released on a summons. University officials did not know if he had retained a lawyer. A phone message left at a number listed under the family's name was not returned by Wednesday evening.

Local law enforcement officials evacuated Haba's dorm and surrounding buildings Tuesday night for about two hours and removed materials from Haba's room. Paxton said the FBI conducted a subsequent investigation on Wednesday after informing Rutgers officials that a potentially hazardous substance may not have been detected in the first sweep.

Haba's dorm building, called University Square, was briefly evacuated again Wednesday while the FBI conducted its investigation. Rutgers officials said Wednesday the investigation was ongoing and they would not be revealing what kind of materials were found, other than to say some were available for legal purchase and by themselves could be considered harmless but others were potentially harmful. Rutgers officials said the investigation was not drug related.

Paxton said Haba faces multiple charges including theft, possession of fireworks and possession of a prohibited weapon. School officials said Wednesday the theft charge was related to some university property discovered in his room, but declined to say what it was. The prohibited weapon was a knife owned by Haba, authorities said.