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Shoe bomb linked to Bin Laden
Guardian Unlimited ^ | 12/28/2001 | Julian Borger, Vikram Dodd and Paul Kelso

Posted on 12/29/2001 12:17:23 AM PST by GeneD

The Briton suspected of trying to blow up an airliner with a bomb hidden in his shoes received explosives training at the same al-Qaida camp in Afghanistan as Zacarias Moussaoui, the Frenchman charged with involvement in the September 11 plot, US intelligence sources said yesterday.

Richard Reid appeared in shackles yesterday at a Boston court where he was ordered to remain in custody until his trial. He was charged only with intimidation or assault of the crew on the Paris-Miami flight a week ago, but far more serious charges are expected. An FBI expert witness testified that there was enough plastic explosive hidden in his shoes to blow a large hole in the American Airlines plane.

Mr Reid spent most of the 17-minute hearing with his head bowed, showing little emotion. But he appeared to smile when the court was told how he was tackled by passengers and flight attendants and subdued with belts and ties.

He is reported to have told investigators that he bought the explosive, TATP (triacetone triperoxide) using the internet, but US intelligence believes he is part of Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida terrorist network, and that he was almost certainly recruited by Mr Moussaoui, who attended the same Brixton mosque.

"Moussaoui and Reid had a more substantive relationship than just going to the same mosque," said a US intelligence source. "They went to the same training camp in Afghanistan, where Reid had explosives training. Plus there are records of telephone calls between Moussaoui and Reid".

According to the charges against him, Mr Moussaoui trained, like the 19 hijackers involved in the September 11 attacks, to be a pilot and received funds through the same channels. He was the first person indicted in connection with the attacks, having been detained on immigration charges less than a month before.

His indictment alleges that he attended Khalden camp, which appears to have been used to train al-Qaida's international brigade of volunteers from beyond the Gulf and Egypt.

Judith Dein, the judge who presided over Mr Reid's bail hearing, agreed with the prosecution that the seriousness of the allegations meant there was a substantial risk he might flee if bailed.

FBI special agent Margaret Cronin, an expert witness on air crime, testified that Mr Reid was carrying "functioning improvised explosives, or, in layman's terms, a homemade bomb".

She said the black suede basketball shoes Mr Reid had been wearing contained enough explosive that "if placed beside an outer wall could have or would have created a large hole in the fuselage of the plane". Mr Reid had been sitting in a window seat.

TATP is made from acetone, peroxide and other easily obtainable ingredients. It is commonly used in terrorist attacks in the Middle East.

Investigators are trying to determine the exact construction of the device and why it failed to go off. Some reports suggest that sweat from Mr Reid's leg dampened the fuse. He was apprehended after a flight attendant smelled the sulphur from the matches he was allegedly using to try to light the fuse.

"It was a very clever operation, designed to pass the explosive through security without triggering alarms. There were no blasting caps with batteries which might have set something off," said Vincent Cannistraro, the former chief of CIA counter-terrorist operations. "In the past people have tried to smuggle bomb components through in their shoes, but this is the first time anyone has taken the actual bomb through that way."

Investigators see more evidence of Mr Reid's involvement in a conspiracy in the extraordinary amount of travelling he did in the run-up to the bungled bomb attempt, visiting seven countries in as many months. According to French authorities his passport showed he had visited Egypt, Israel, Turkey, Pakistan, Belgium, the Netherlands and France. Some reports said he had also visited Afghanistan.

He spent 10 days in Israel and was subject to a security check by El-Al staff at Tel Aviv airport after they became suspicious when he arrived on a flight from Turkey.


TOPICS: Breaking News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: aaflight63
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1 posted on 12/29/2001 12:17:23 AM PST by GeneD
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To: GeneD
One of the networks (can't remember which, sorry) just reported the explosive material used is 'preferred by Hamas (PLO)' whatever that may or may not mean.
2 posted on 12/29/2001 12:17:24 AM PST by Golden Eagle
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To: GeneD
...REID by nike = Just Do It = NOT...
3 posted on 12/29/2001 12:17:24 AM PST by ALOHA RONNIE
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To: GeneD
Thats the best Al Qaeda can do? A bafoon unsuccesfully trying to blow up an airplane with a shoe bomb? If this is how they plan on destroying American they should just give up entirely.
4 posted on 12/29/2001 12:17:25 AM PST by ChicagoRepublican
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To: GeneD
Here's a frightening thought...I wonder if it has occured to anyone that He WANTED to get caught? Is it possible the Al Quaeda people were testing our defenses and guaging our reaction to a plot they knew we could stop? It seems to me that he could have used a lighter or gone into the bathroom, but he instead tried it were he was practically public with a very public match...something is fishy about it all.
5 posted on 12/29/2001 12:17:26 AM PST by Preech1
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To: ChicagoRepublican
Actually, the point of terrorism is to instill fear...which was successfully done. The lack of success in downing the plane was not necessarily failure...
6 posted on 12/29/2001 12:17:26 AM PST by Preech1
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To: Golden Eagle
Just fifteen minutes ago the local radio talk station broke for news at the top of the hour and reported that authorties believe he is not connected to Osama...

Is this another case of the FBI just not really having any clue (re the anthrax) and blaming it on VRWC NRA types or .......

7 posted on 12/29/2001 12:17:26 AM PST by The Magical Mischief Tour
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To: ChicagoRepublican
Apparently it is the best they can do RIGHT NOW. If they could have pulled anything off on Christmas, they would have. But alas they are like roaches, and will again come out as soon as we turn the lights (our alertness) off.
8 posted on 12/29/2001 12:17:27 AM PST by Golden Eagle
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To: ChicagoRepublican
Thats the best Al Qaeda can do?
Some time ago, Ollie North said in his opinion, Al Qaeda gave us their best shot on 9/11. He mentioned that they wouldn't stop trying, but they would increasingly become less and less effective. I think he's right.
9 posted on 12/29/2001 12:17:27 AM PST by Utopia
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To: Utopia
they wouldn't stop trying, but they would increasingly become less and less effective. I think he's right.

I hope so, the next big event is New Years in NYC.

10 posted on 12/29/2001 12:17:27 AM PST by The Mayor
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To: ChicagoRepublican
My feelings exactaly but I called him a doofus.
11 posted on 12/29/2001 12:17:27 AM PST by Ditter
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To: ChicagoRepublican
Assuming Flt 587 was another one of these guys, who just didn't happen to get caught, they seem to be running about a 50% success rate. Since the assets are cheap, that represents a pretty good level of operational effectiveness.
12 posted on 12/29/2001 12:17:27 AM PST by The Great Satan
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To: Preech1
It seems to me that he could have used a lighter or gone into the bathroom

My very first thought was to wonder why he didn't invest ten bucks in a Zippo. You can put them in the little inspection bucket before walking through the metal detector and have it handed right back to you. Or at least you could pre-9/11.

MM

13 posted on 12/29/2001 12:17:31 AM PST by MississippiMan
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To: GeneD
...he was ordered to remain in custody until his trial.

Trial? What trial? Let's give this military tribunal thing a try now!

14 posted on 12/29/2001 12:17:33 AM PST by hillary's_fat_a**
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To: MississippiMan
My very first thought was to wonder why he didn't invest ten bucks in a Zippo.

Next time, they will. Terrorists learn, and teach the lessons learned to each other. That's one reason why terrorist networks are so much more dangerous than terrorist individuals.

15 posted on 12/29/2001 12:17:33 AM PST by irv
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To: ChicagoRepublican
Politically-motivated criminals do make a lot of operational errors, almost as much as your everyday money-motivated crooks. The stupidity of their followers must be very frustrating to bin Laden and Omar.

bin Laden's response to this frustration seems to carefully plan a small number of spectacular attacks. So long as none will involve high levels of ionizing radiation, September 11 should continue to be the worst day of this war. The President's plan to continue to war into 2002 is still vital.

16 posted on 12/29/2001 12:17:35 AM PST by Steve Eisenberg
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To: Golden Eagle
One of the networks (can't remember which, sorry) just reported the explosive material used is 'preferred by Hamas (PLO)' whatever that may or may not mean.

Another talking head pointed out that his first attempt to board the AA flight was the anniversary date of the bombing of Pan Am 103 (12/21/1988)

17 posted on 12/29/2001 12:17:54 AM PST by Catspaw
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To: GeneD
A propos of nothing, just returned to BWI from LAX. In line for check-in, six of us male adults agreed that no shoe bomber, hijacker,etc. would stand trial if they tried something on our flight. Those who want to practice random killing should be subject to same.

And, it's cost effective.

18 posted on 12/29/2001 12:17:54 AM PST by leadhead
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Comment #19 Removed by Moderator

To: The Magical Mischief Tour
Just fifteen minutes ago the local radio talk station broke for news at the top of the hour and reported that authorties believe he is not connected to Osama...

I heard his defense lawyer say that, but I doubt if his lawyer would be put in the "authorities' category.

The "authorities" have been developing some very good leads that point to him being a foot solder in al Qaeda.

20 posted on 12/29/2001 12:18:09 AM PST by Catspaw
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