SHE BOMBER

Mirror ^ | 1-3-04 | Edwards, Smith, Knight

[_Jim]

I am pretty sure this was from a test of 10 ozs of C4 in a pressurized cabin of 35,000 feet comparable pressure.

Is there a way/a source from which this was obtained/derived such that we can make sure/confirm this?

[Dog]

The shoe bomb that Reid had .....was about 8 to 12 ozs.

[HardStarboard]

From that picture, looks like 4oz would be enough.

What was Richard Reid suppose to have in his shoes - wasn't it something like 10 or 12oz?

[doug from upland]

My source tells me it is 10 oz.

[RaceBannon]

I imagine if you exploded a ball against the skin near a doorway, or near the center of the aircraft either forward or behind the wing, the tear of the skin in flight would be catastrophic

[cyncooper]

Remember the New Year's Eve flight that was delayed for hours at the gate? The story was that they focused on that woman, asking where her husband was and such. At the time we speculated that they were focused on her husband and did she fly in his place, etc. But I wonder if they suspected *her* as the potential terrorist, not the husband...I wonder if she was released.

[doug from upland]

Yes, Reid had appoximately 10 oz. This stuff could be put into a CD case.

[Moonman62]

It appears that the terrorists have had another "success" snatched away from them

[Aliska]

Is that enough to bring down a plane? Probably could or would.

[bt_dooftlook]

One question of course would be how to detonate this - would regular batteries do the trick?

[doug from upland]

There are certain seat numbers that the terrorists know will be effective in their evil quest.

[RaceBannon]

Squantos would know!

[cyncooper]

Another element from the New Year's Eve plane, was heavy focus on passengers proving their seating assignment. I remember Reid's seat assignment was a part of the plan for an explosion to do maximum damage...

[eno_]

I'm curious to know how much damage 12oz of that type of explosive could do.

12 ounces of real high explosive, like Semtex, would do the job if properly placed. Al Quaida has long been figuring the minimum amount of explosive that could bring down an airplane, including an "experiment" in which a Japanese tourist was blown up in his seat with a bomb made of (probably) acetone and hydrogen peroxide, with a timer assembled from a watch. I think the shoe bomber was packing something like 4-6 ounces per shoe.

[Dog]

I forgot they zeroed in on that woman....

[numberonepal]

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't plastic explosive pretty much inert without a firing mechanism of some sort. If so, she could pack as much as she likes up there, but without a trigger she's just got a .... oh never mind.

Anyhow, looking for a trigger would be what we're looking for, right?

[Dog]

Yes...

[doug from upland]

A lithium watch battery could do it after she removes it from its storage place and she forms the bomb. Something else is needed that I won't discuss.

[breakem]

now........CUT THAT OUT!

[Aliska]

I read more of the replies, and understand now that it would probably down the plane.