TSA Misses Luggage That Explodes After Flight

Judicial Watch ^ | December 29, 2010 | Judicial Watch

[opentalk]

Despite a $98 million infusion for state-of-the-art baggage screening machines, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) somehow missed a suitcase filled with explosives that blasted after a three-hour domestic flight.

The shameful gaffe is simply the latest of many for the beleaguered Homeland Security agency charged with protecting the nation’s transportation system. A checked bag on a flight from Boston to Miami contained hundreds of bullet primers that exploded on the tarmac after the plane arrived in south Florida. Primers provide the spark that detonates the gunpowder in bullets.

The bag belongs to a 37-year-old man, said to be a naturalized U.S. citizen, who was scheduled to catch a connecting flight to Jamaica. When an airline baggage handler in Miami moved the suitcase on the tarmac, it ignited. The FBI was quick to point out that there were no injuries and immediately ruled out any sort of terrorism threat.

Authorities initially attributed the incident to an aerosol can exploding inside a passenger’s checked luggage, which led one local news agency in south Florida to sarcastically report that a “can of hairspray caused a bit of a scare at Miami International Airport. “ Another labeled it as a “freak accident” though Boston media took the incident more seriously with a headline that read: “Luggage that left from Logan explodes in Fla.”

The alarming event caps a series of never-ending TSA blunders that have severely compromised national security in the last few months. While the 50,000-member agency harasses honest citizens with invasive, genital-groping personal searches, it ignores real threats and persecutes its critics.

[unixfox]

Must have been an "oversight".

Nothing to worry about, move along.

[Christian Engineer Mass]

I saw this story. The story even said that “aerosols had been immediately banned at the airport” - and it was a major source.

News is just lies now. We better just assume it’s all lies from this point.

[FlingWingFlyer]

The bag belongs to a 37-year-old man, said to be a naturalized U.S. citizen.

If they hadn't spent so much time rummaging through grandma's luggage...

[null and void]

It didn’t blow up on the plane.

The system worked...

[sionnsar]

A checked bag on a flight from Boston to Miami contained hundreds of bullet primers

Sheesh. Why I Long Since Quit Trusting The MSM.

[doc1019]

I feel so safe. ;-)

[Texas Eagle]

When an airline baggage handler in Miami moved the suitcase on the tarmac, it ignited.

That must have been one hot tarmac.

Wait a minute. I thought Flordia was in the middle of a deep freeze!

[UCANSEE2]

“When an airline baggage handler in Miami moved the suitcase on the tarmac, it ignited.”

Sounds like the handler tried to slide the suitcase (or kicked it) ACROSS the TARMAC, and caused the ignition.

That still doesn’t explain how it got through ‘security’ checkpoints or luggage ‘scans’.

[InvisibleChurch]

Things aren’t terrorists.

[yldstrk]

Hairspray

What oafs

[KoRn]

How in the hell do Bullet Primers just spontaneously “explode”? If it DID happen, something very freak went on here.

I call BS on this, without more information.

[Grizzled Bear]

Clearly the TSA needs to fondle more genetalia to prevent these kind of incidents!

[sionnsar]

The story is way overblown. But don’t worry, it will be used against the traveling public in ways we haven’t yet envisioned.

[Grizzled Bear]

If they hadn't spent so much time rummaging through grandma's luggage undies...

[AmericanVictory]

Just an immigrant, you know, like John Muhammad.

[andyk]

a suitcase filled with explosives

hundreds of bullet primers

I'm picturing a miniature suitcase bulging with hundreds of primers.

[Tzfat]

Authorities initially attributed the incident to an aerosol can exploding inside a passenger’s checked luggage, which led one local news agency in south Florida to sarcastically report that a “can of hairspray caused a bit of a scare at Miami International Airport.

What liars government employees can be. Who to believe? Not a gummint agent.

[RedMDer]

The bag belongs to a 37-year-old man, said to be a naturalized U.S. citizen, who was scheduled to catch a connecting flight to Jamaica.

Profile, profile, profile. That's the best way to prevent this in my opinion instead of chasing our tails and overwhelming the screeners. That must be one of the most boring jobs in the world. No small wonder that packages get past them.

[Clint Williams]

News is just lies now. We better just assume it’s all lies from this point.

It's been little but lies and distortions for many years now, Where have you been? (I might like to go there.)

[momtothree]

“... through grandma’s luggage”.

By luggage, I am assuming you mean Grandma’s bra, right?

[UCANSEE2]

How in the hell do Bullet Primers just spontaneously “explode”?

Well, you toss the suitcase they are in from the cargo area of the plane, out onto the tarmac.

[RnMomof7]

But they found a woman’s comb in her pocket when they X-rayed her

[386wt]

...do Bullet Primers just spontaneously “explode”?

Yeah, all those (billions and billions) of primers contained in cartridges sitting on the shelves of Wal-Mart and thousand of other stores??? Must be like nitro, donnchano.

[Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus]

TSA Misses Luggage That Explodes After Flight

Hey, give the TSA credit where it is due - they were sure on the ball in thoroughly checking my 14-month old son's sippy cup!

[doc1019]

I want a job as a TSA inspector, you don’t have to do anything and get paid for it. My kind of job.

[azhenfud]

The Touch Some Ass (TSA) at their finest!

[funfan]

Well if it had been in his underwear, I am sure the TSA would have been all over it

[funfan]

Well if it had been in his underwear, I am sure the TSA would have been all over it

[Yo-Yo]

A checked bag on a flight from Boston to Miami contained hundreds of bullet primers that exploded on the tarmac after the plane arrived in south Florida.

100 primers come in a box smaller than a CD jewel case.

[MinuteGal]

Well...did they detain the 37 year-old Jamaican "naturalized citizen" or not....or is he down under a palm tree by now studying up on how to become a U.S. president?

Leni

[Erasmus]

I think it would be a Barbie suitcase, about the size of your big toe.

≤}B^)

[Harley]

Any EOD types out there? Seems like primers have to be struck to "go off" and doubtful that one or two primers would cause others to spark. I'll bet you could take a box of 500 and hit it with a hammer and it would cause minimal problems if they all went off.

Primers and small arms ammunition are a Class C, DOT, transportable device. Hunters are allowed to pack ammunition in limited quantities in their checked baggage, and do so all the time, so I don't really see what the problem is.

Guns are permitted in a lockable transport container and carried on aircraft all the time. Did the citizen forget to declare he had primers in his bag?

[UCANSEE2]

If it DID happen, something very freak went on here.

Nah. According to the news it's common. Like 'accidental gun firing'.

Seems primers explode, and bullets fire themselves from guns all the time. Many SUV's have run down and killed people, or thrown their riders out to their deaths.

[knarf]

I'm not a re-loader, so ....

Do primers come in plastic baggies or something?

[knarf]

I should have read further down to your post.

The story sounds BS, now.

[FlyingEagle]

The system worked.

The 37 year old had his gonads searched thoroughly and no suspect items were found.

[MsLady]

The TSA is stepping all over the Constitution, is a huge waste of money and is totally ineffective. Pistole should be fired and jailed. And take Janet while their at it too. And whatever joker is the head of the FCC, can’t remember his name.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

***I’m picturing a miniature suitcase bulging with hundreds of primers.***

1000 primers will fit in a box 2 inches X 2 inches 6 inches long. Some boxes are smaller.

In a box, if one primer pops the the rest will go off due to what is called “sympathetic detonation”.

[PapaBear3625]

The bag belongs to a 37-year-old man, said to be a naturalized U.S. citizen, who was scheduled to catch a connecting flight to Jamaica.

One question that hasn't seem to have gotten asked. Jamaica, part of the British Commonwealth, same some of the strictest gun control laws around.

What was he doing bringing PRIMERS to JAMAICA?

[KoRn]

"Well, you toss the suitcase they are in from the cargo area of the plane, out onto the tarmac."

You'd have to drop that luggage 1,000,000 times from the plane, and a primer STILL probably wouldn't discharge. It takes a PRECISE strike with pressure from a sharpened object(such as a firing pin) in just the right spot to make a primer go bang. That's why I find this story to be such BS.

[rellimpank]

—my tagline applies—

[LetMarch]

Yes! Absolutely! Profiling overwhelmingly the best system above all others!
It saves time, cost and lives! (which may not be their highest priority)

[opentalk]

I don't know much about guns, but seems there is more to the story.

[PapaBear3625]

Expanding on what I said earlier, the State Dept advisory on Jamaica has

The Department of State warns U.S. citizens against taking any type of firearm or ammunition into Jamaica without authorization from the Jamaican Ministry of National Security. Entering Jamaica with a firearm or even a single round of ammunition is a serious crime that can result in a long prison sentence.

What was he doing transporting primers to Jamaica?

Did he expect to get through Jamaica customs without arrest?

[AnAmericanMother]

The ONLY way I can imagine this happening is if the bozo decided to take ALL the primers in a box of 1000 (not that big a box - about the size of an ordinary brick but a little longer and MUCH lighter) out of their protective slipcases and 'save space' by dumping them all in a plastic bag. And decided to pack them in his suitcase next to something hard and pointy, like a bag of nails. And a baggage handler then decided to punt the suitcase out of the cargo hold onto the apron.

I think it's much more likely that we're being lied to, and this was a bomb that didn't go off. But the powergrabbers at TSA will use it as an excuse to ban primers. Certainly for transport, from private sale if they think they can get away with it. Helps get rid of the Second Amendment types, dontcha know.

[Christian Engineer Mass]

It bears repeating, as if new, many times. Judging by comments on FR, most people live there.

[andyk]

Here's the insidious suitcase in question:

[FunkyZero]

"Do primers come in plastic baggies or something? "

No, they actually come in a plastic tray and are individually separated by a plastic grid. Each tray is packed into a cardboard box that is a single layer... much like a box of ammunition in an egg-crate type cage.

Primers are relatively difficult to pop, especially by accident. I'm not saying it's impossible, but seems to me another source most likely caused it such as heat. Even if you slammed the back side of a tray of primers with a hammer, only the ones you crushed will go off, I can't imagine how it would have caused a chain reaction... they aren't blasting caps. You have to smack them in just the right spot or crush them. Myself and a buddy once did a week of detention at school for stomping on them in the parking lot with our boot heels (story for another time).

Who's to say if they were in the original packaging, I don't know. Story doesn't really add up though. Maybe only a few of them actually detonated and the press is smokin it up as usual...

[DBrow]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2648737/posts

Related thread, has answers to some questions here plus name of perp.

My guess is that he intended to smuggle primers and a reloading press into Jamaica.