Shoe bombs capable of grave harm: Complex devices raise suspicion that suspect had accomplice

Boston Globe ^ | December 25, 2001 | Stephen Kurkjian and Michele Kurtz

[sarcasm]

In addition, a state official who asked not to be identified told the Globe that the bombs contained a complex mix of explosive materials that has raised questions about whether the suspect had assistance.

The alleged bomber, still tentatively identified as 28-year-old British national Richard C. Reid, appeared in federal court in Boston yesterday, amid growing concern about how he was able to board a flight in Paris apparently with enough explosives to bring down the plane.

[Restorer]

Because of the complexity of concocting such an explosive, FBI agents believe that Reid must have had an accomplice, according to the state official.

Not necessarily. There's been a document floating around the Web for years called "The Anarchist's Cookdbook." It contains detailed recipes for a huge variety of explosives and detonators, etc.

It also points out that those using the recipes stand an excellent chance of blowing themselves up (accidentally) in the process of making them.

[Cicero]

''The FBI is coordinating a very thorough and aggressive investigation,'' said Prouty.

I hate to say it, but so far the FBI have shown themselves to be a bunch of clowns. I hope the British are investigating this too. Thank God for some brave, quick-thinking stewardesses and passengers.

[Joee]

I don't claim to know for sure, but I can't help but wonder at the absence of a "cap" in the firing chain. Det Cord needs it and so does the C-4, being very stable explosives. To be able to ignite the explosives by fire alone seems far out to me. Unless more is to come, I tend to think of this guy as a "fruit cake."

[exmoor]

Globe that the bombs contained a complex mix of explosive materials that has raised questions about whether the suspect had assistance...didn't they find the same in mix in Arafats LIPS ??

[hdrider]

bump

This guy really is a fruitcake or he would have had a BIC lighter.

Thank the Lord for quick thinking, brave passengers on the flight.

[jimtorr]

The FBI, however, found that there was a substance blended with the explosive that would have caused it to detonate if it were exposed long enough to a sustained flame...........''The belief is now that if he had a lighter and not a match, the thing would have detonated,'' the official said.

Codebreaker, this is the sort of statement I've been waiting for.

Four to five ounces in each shoe, eh? I wonder if one shoe exploding would have been enough to set the other off?

[ValerieUSA]

Maxwell Smart has got to be jealous.

[Joee]

A very good question indeed!

[mvpel]

Richard Reid was the name on his British passport that he obtained under false pretenses, from what I gather.

[Paleo Conservative]

A perfect candidate for the first tribunal.

[Born to Conserve]

Some high explosive will burn without detonating. I recall a story of a bunch of laborers sitting around a bonfire with a few cases of dynamite on a cold day -- the dynamite had to be warm to detonate reliably. Some of the sticks were laying too close, and one cought on fire. Not a big deal -- this is how old dynamite is disposed of -- dig a hole, cut the paper covering off, and light it on fire. One of the laborors thought, just to be safe, he'd stomp out the burning stick. Big mistake. Between the heat of the fire, and the compression of the stomp, detonation occured. There was a very wide and deep crater, no fire, and no laborors.

[budman_2001]

This was posted yesterday by someone from a German website and repeated in a few other posts.

Downright scary. 200 grams of semtex is about 7 onces, which by reports was about what was contained in the shoes.

This is what about 200 grams of Semtex will do to a pressurized (9 PSI to simulate 30000 Ft) 747! source: "AW&ST"

[R. Scott]

"I don't claim to know for sure, but I can't help but wonder at the absence of a "cap" in the firing chain."

If I read my old FM5-34 correctly, a regular blasting cap isn't needed – a small pocket of gunpowder would have done nicely. If that was too difficult to arrange, he could have ignited the C4, (it will burn – great for heating C-rats) then tap danced in the aisle – the first stomp would have caused detonation of the burning C4. We used to stomp it (very small pieces) just for S&G.

[gg188]

I want to know, how in HADES did this bad actor EVER get on an airplane? How many SUCCESSFUL attacks will there have to be before deadly political correctness is overcome by common sense, and PROFILING is fully utilized in airports, e.g., to start with, ALL people looking like this mohammedude here are subjected to a complete FBI background check before allowed to get on a plane. Damn---it's just common sense. Have you seen this guy?? Give me a break. His appearance SCREAMS: "I am not normal, I obviously don't have a job; I am of some sort of a-rab background, obviously."

[Logic 101: all islams did not attack the U.S. on 9-11. However, all ATTACKERS of the U.S. on 9-11 WERE ISLAMS! Duh!!]

It goes back to the argument others have made: if soccermoms in Birkenstocks driving mini-vans hijacked four planes and crashed them, killing thousands, then you can bet your bottom dollar that airport security would THOROUGHLY check out (duh!) every soccermom in Birkenstocks and mini-vans.

YET---when we KNOW the PRECISE profile of the people who are GOING to do this, we scrupulously pay LESS attention to them than other passengers boarding planes so we won't hurt their feelings!

First, we need to make damn sure that ANYONE who even remotely LOOKS like the profile that we KNOW are terrorists is given everything but a CAT scan before being allowed to purchase a damn ticket on a plane, much less board one.

The towelheads literally have the power to send civilization into chaos and virtual collapse. In the words of of one of their own, The-Raghead-Formerly-Known-As-Cat-Stevens, and I paraphrase: it's a bad, bad world out there. Could it be that he knew something circa 1970 about his soon-to-be islam butt-buddies and what they were up to? Hmm? Well, anyone who reads history knows what these animals are up to---but then again, the average American on the street couldn't tell you in what year the War of 1812 was fought.

[Gritty]

the suspected suicide bomber... contained alarmingly sophisticated, working bombs with enough explosive power to cause a disaster

Well, we are very lucky to once again be put on stark notice what can happen when we ignore the warning signs and go about our PC business!

So, when are we going take the proper steps to eliminate this threat (serious profiling while universally rounding up sympathisers and hunting down terrorists to the death)? Confiscating nail clippers while strip searching Grandma just ain't gonna hack this problem even though it may make the FAA and other bureaucratic blatherers feel good. There are too many holes for these people to strike through than trying to merely plug all the holes with "security" after the fact.

[Donald Stone]

It was easy for him to get on board that plane.

He didn't have "terrorist bomber" tatooed on his forehead in big letters.

[John H K]

There's a big difference between "confusion" and the media trying to hide something.

I've seen it mentioned that Reid was a Muslim REPEATEDLY..in a wide variety of news reports. But amazingly, the conspiracy nutters are so focused on this being "covered up" they're pretending it's being covered up.

As best I can determine, THIS GUY ACTUALLY IS RICHARD REID. The other two names were Muslim names he used, much as "Johnny Jihad Walker" invented a Muslim name for himself. When first reported, the media assumed that one of those two names was his REAL name, and Reid was an alias, but since then it seems the opposite is true.

It also seems he really IS 1/2 English and 1/2 Jamaican, though it's clear this is still being sorted out.

Which is a bit of a conundrum to the pro-racial profilers. This guy (Apparently, as of everything reported so far) Doesn't have a DROP of Middle Eastern blood in him.

The business about Sri Lanka is still unresolved, though I'd note that Sri Lanka is NOT the Middle East.

[WackyKat]

Perhaps his accomplice was a shadowy figure known only as "Dr. Shoe."