NYC Explosion: Buying Bomb Parts Through eBay

abcnews ^ | 9/21/16 | B. Ross, R.Schwartz, A. Katersky, J. Margolin, James G. Meek

[Tilted Irish Kilt]

The man suspected of planting bombs in New York City and New Jersey was able to use the popular online bidding site eBay
to secretly collect bomb components starting months ago, officials allege in court documents.

Ahmad Rahami, the 28-year-old who was apprehended Monday after a shootout with police, purportedly began plans for a bombing in mid-June
when he purchased more than 200 round lead and steel balls designed as slingshot ammunition.

"I know, based on my training, experience, and conversations with other law enforcement officials, that ball bearings can be used in improvised explosives to increase fragmentation and thus to increase the lethality of the device," FBI agent Peter Fredrick Licata said in a criminal complaint filed late Tuesday in New York.
Elsewhere the complaint notes that the bomb that detonated in New York City's Chelsea neighborhood was "packed with ball bearings and steal nuts."

[Tilted Irish Kilt]

Over the next several weeks, Rahami used eBay to purchase several other components that Licata wrote can be used in bombs,
including citric acid, a "precursor chemical commonly used in improvised explosives," the complaint says.

In a statement to ABC News, eBay said it has been "proactively working with law enforcement authorities on their investigation," and
"the types of items bought by the suspect are legal to buy and sell in the United States and are widely available at online and offline stores."

Rahami has been charged in New York and New Jersey courts with a litany of alleged crimes including multiple counts of attempted murder,
the use of weapons of mass destruction and destruction of property.
Of the multiple devices authorities allege Rahami planted in New York in New Jersey, only the Chelsea device injured bystanders,
wounding 31 people, according to the complaint.

[Tilted Irish Kilt]

Promoting political and religious agenda through e-bidding online !

[Mr. Douglas]

Macgyver didn’t need Ebay!

[Fresh Wind]

Elsewhere the complaint notes that the bomb that detonated in New York City's Chelsea neighborhood was "packed with ball bearings and steal nuts."

He didn't steal the nuts, he bought them.

[cyclotic]

That guy needed training and experience to tell him that adding ball bearings to a bomb increases fragmentation? Wow, real rocket scientist there huh?

So now, just like with cold medicines, we’re going to require stores to keep ball bearings, nuts, bolts and orange juice locked up.

Pretty soon, we’ll need a license to shop at Home Depot and the Grocery Store,

Way to react, not think ahead.

[PGR88]

I found out recently that regarding the Boston Marathon Bombers, the FBI never learned where they manufactured their bomb. Searches of any places even remotely connected with the bombers never turned up any evidence indicating where bombs were made, or by whom.

Tamerlan was killed, and Dzokar claims ignorance and that his brother did it all.

[cyclotic]

I watched an episode of Burn Notice where they used spackling paste to make crude C-4. I looked it up and there is actually a recipe online for that.

Better lock that up too.

[Theoria]

Great, another freedom to purchase stuff over the net will be squashed. More monitoring of purchases by .gov coming soon.

[Roccus]

What about toy jacks?

[cyclotic]

Lock and Key

[Scooter100]

Once the UN takes over the internet on October 1st, this Ebay thingy you speak of will be shut down; it’s just too Adam Smithy. /sarc

[Boogieman]

These so-called “bomb components” are completely legal everyday materials with a thousand legitimate uses. Of course you can buy them on eBay.

“I know, based on my training, experience, and conversations with other law enforcement officials, that ball bearings can be used in improvised explosives to increase fragmentation and thus to increase the lethality of the device,”

So what? I could think of dozens of other things that can replace ball bearings to achieve the same effect, because they are not an essential component to a bomb. What, do they want to ban nails? Screws? Scrap metal? Plumbing fittings?

Same situation with the citric acid. Yes, acids can be used to synthesize explosives. They are also very simple chemicals that are used for thousands of other purposes. Even if you ban the sale, anyone with a high school chemistry textbook could probably figure out how to acquire or synthesize acids from other sources.

[Biggirl]

Until Trump gets elected.

[cyclotic]

Marbles
Matchbox cars
chunks of steel
fishing sinkers
wheel weights
rocks
rice-A tribute to John Kerry
drywall screws
broken coffee cups
broken tile
broken glass
Imagine the regulatory possibilities

All newly regulated under the Explosives Control Act of 2017

[Biggirl]

Are you sure about that? Doubt it.

It will simply will go underground.

[Sidebar Moderator]

Interesting that the MSM is still referring to this “incident” as some amorphous “explosion”. Yet, in the very same headline, talks about bomb parts as if there’s no connection. Are they taking Hillary’s Ambien?

[Sidebar Moderator]

It now appears that referring to a “bombing” as a “bombing” is wrong if Donald Trump called it a bombing.

[faithhopecharity]

we need to end the (unconstitutional) gun ‘control’ laws and regulations

and start banning ball bearings..which we CAN legally ban if we wish, as they are not a constitutionally-recognized item

Up with Firearms!
Down with Ball Bearings!

[Darnright]

You left out pressure cookers. People don't need a pressurized cooker when a saucepan will do. Or unless they like the taste of food prepared with a "weapon of mass destruction".

(Or, unless they can vegetables or other edibles and want to avoid botulism. People don't need to can, when they can buy canned food!)

[lacrew]

Wow...if spellcheck doesn’t catch it, it gets printed/posted.