It's sad to hear that he has turned evil:
Posted on 12/05/2003 4:14:37 PM PST by freeperfromnj
A New Tactic?
Dec. 5— Authorities in the United Kingdom are examining a pair of blue socks, which they believe contain key components of an improved explosive device that could be used in future terrorist airline hijackings, intelligence sources told ABCNEWS.
Intelligence officials believe the socks were designed to be filled with explosives and tethered and worn around a potential bomber's neck, a source told ABCNEWS. With the explosives concealed in this fashion, a bomber could gain access to an aircraft and assemble the improvised device once on board.
The socks were seized during the Nov. 20 arrest of Sajid Badat, 24, in Gloucester, England. British authorities have charged Badat with conspiring with would-be "shoe bomber" Richard Reid in an explosives plot.
Reid was sentenced to life in prison in the United States for attempting to detonate explosives concealed in one of his shoes during an American Airlines flight from Paris to Miami in December 2001. Badat is also accused of "unlawfully and maliciously" possessing explosives with intent to endanger life or damage property.
Forensic evaluation of the socks by British police revealed traces of several explosives, including TNT, PETN and RDX.
A Department of Homeland Security bulletin circulated Wednesday to aviation authorities in numerous U.S. jurisdictions said: "The socks, which were held together with a string, appeared to be elongated as if they were stretched out from carrying something.
"While it is not clear exactly in what capacity the individual may have been using the socks, it is possible the suspect may have been suspending the socks from around his/her neck or under outer garments in an effort to conceal explosives carried in them," said the bulletin. "It also cannot be discounted that these tethered socks were components of an improvised explosive device in the making. "
An additional bulletin, the FBI weekly circular to law enforcement, warned that recent intelligence "indicates that terrorists continue to develop plans to hijack aircraft and use them as weapons" despite improved security and vigilance since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
"Intelligence indicates terrorists are considering the use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) assembled on board to hijack an aircraft, or, alternatively, destroy it over heavily populated areas in the event of passenger or crew resistance," the FBI bulletin said.
According to sources, there has been increased discussion in the intelligence community this week concerning the use of explosives that a would-be attacker could wear on board an airplane and then assemble into a bomb. U.S. authorities reportedly are meeting in Britain with British counterintelligence officials to review whether Badat and his suspected device may have had any possible connection to New York and the northeastern United States.
Past Incidents of Using Carry-On Explosives
The recent seizure is of great concern because al Qaeda terrorists have in the past used, or tried to use, carry-on explosives to evade airport security.
Al Qaeda terrorist Ramzi Yousef successfully detonated a bomb on board a Philippine Airlines flight in December 1994. He constructed the bomb in an aircraft lavatory from components smuggled in his clothing and carry-on items. The explosion killed a Japanese tourist and blew a hole in the fuselage of the plane, but the plane landed safely. Yousef was later convicted for his role in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.
Another al Qaeda operative, Ahmed Ressam, who was convicted of plotting to attack the Los Angeles International Airport during the 2000 millennium celebrations, had attempted to conceal components of a device inside shampoo and medicine bottles.
These incidents, and others, suggest terrorist operatives believe they have a greater chance of getting past airport security if they conceal the explosives and other bomb components separately, rather than as a fully assembled bomb.
The FBI this week warned authorities: "Components of IEDs can be smuggled onto an aircraft, concealed in either clothing or personal carry-on items such as shampoo and medicine bottles, and assembled onboard. In many cases of suspicious passenger activity, incidents have taken place in the aircraft's forward lavatory. It is conceivable terrorists may plan to use this private area to construct IEDs in order to facilitate access to the cockpit, or position themselves in front of passengers."
What is that?
-A cordless optical mouse
Okay, seems to work as it should
-Ahh, don't right-click . . .
Clothing must be banned from passenger aircraft.
That's right, from now on, all passengers must travel in the nude.
Homeland Security should also require body cavity searches to insure that no explosive material is taken aboard an aircraft.
We already have the security in place. Little old ladies and WASP businessmen get the terrorist profile treatment. Anyone that looks like Osama or Arafat gets a free pass by the Transportation Insecurity Agency.
Solution: Maditory strip searches for Socks the cat.
It's sad to hear that he has turned evil:
Blow your socks off!
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