Experts doubt superbomb would work as promised American/Al Qaeda alert

Houston Chronicle ^

[Halfmanhalfamazing]

Experts say a man accused of trying to sell a superbomb to al-Qaida made some incredible claims, but his estranged wife has no doubt that he had the ability to build an explosive.

Before his arrest, Ronald Allen Grecula, 68, of Bangor, Pa., described an explosive of tremendous power to undercover agents who he thought were affiliated with the al-Qaida terrorist group, according to court documents.

Grecula, who made an initial appearance Monday before a federal magistrate judge after his arrest Friday in Houston, told the agents he would sell them a bomb that could destroy everything within a half-mile with a force approaching a nuclear explosion, according to transcripts of the conversations in an FBI affidavit. Grecula is scheduled to return to federal court Thursday.

[Halfmanhalfamazing]

The chronicle mentions his run in with authorities over the children.

Here...

http://www.missingkids.nl/missingkids/servlet/PageServlet?LanguageCountry=en_NL&PageId=1007

[P.O.E.]

Despite being a self-vaunted engineer, this guy sure had a few screws loose.

[Restorer]

I'm sure his ex-wife is an explosives expert capable of judging whether his bomb will work or not.

The only device I know that approaches the power of a nuke is a fuel-air explosive device, which is probably beyond what the average guy can assemble in the garage.

[Deaf Smith]

bump

[alloysteel]

The guy had the technical expertise to build a MOAB? These are about the largest chemical-detonation bombs yet known.

And even they are a little tricky to manage. About the only practical way to launch them is from the cargo bay of a C-130 or similar large air transport, snagged out with a parachute drop.

[R. Scott]

Right - a very compact hydrogen/chlorine fusion bomb. Next I’ll be helping out that poor Nigerian millionaire with his money problems.

[Spktyr]

Fuel-air explosives are very easy to make. The problem is that one with the capability to do the kind of damage this guy is talking about would be very large; the size of a dumpster or larger. Transport and deployment would be a problem.

[Tijeras_Slim]

This guy was never the same after the government and car manufacturers supressed his secret motor that gets 200 mpg on a cup of water.

[BenLurkin]

Fry him.

[Americanexpat]

This is the same guy that said he hated America. He built a bomb (I don't care if it works or not) and tried selling it to enemies of this country, that makes him a traitor. Hang him.

[Chode]

i'd be more afraid of a 20lb. tank of propane...

[evets]

blowed up real good

[eastforker]

How about a 40,000 lb transport truck full of propane or one of the hundred or more explosive chemicals that travel over our highways each day.Or a transport truck of phenol that if exploded where one drop can kill a person. Do not underestimate what a person may be capable of doing.

[Restorer]

You are correct, of course.

Getting the right mix of fuel and air, in the massive volumeneeded to approximate a nuke, and then igniting it at the right moment, are what is tricky.

A small fuel-air device is easy to make, as a large number of Darwin Award winners have discovered while cleaning parts with gasoline in the basement next to the gas water heater.

[Restorer]

Or a transport truck of phenol that if exploded where one drop can kill a person.

I don't think you mean phenol. It's widely used in throat antiseptics, among other things.

I've been exposed to a lot more than one drop, and I'm not dead yet.

[eastforker]

That small ammount is way watered down, believe me, pure phenol is very deadly, look up the msds on it.

[eastforker]

here it is, the OEL is 1 ppm.

---

General
Synonyms: benzenol, carbolic acid, hydroxybenzene, monohydroxybenzene, monophenol, oxybenzene, phenic acid, phenylic acid, phenyl alcohol, phenyl hydrate, phenyl hydroxide, phenylic alcohol
Molecular formula: C6H5OH
CAS No: 108-95-2
EC No: 203-632-7
Annex I Index No: 604-001-00-2

Physical data
Appearance: colourless crystals with a characteristic odour
Melting point: 40 - 42 C
Boiling point: 182 C
Specific gravity: 1.07
Vapour pressure: 0.35 mm Hg at 20 C
Flash point: 79 C
Explosion limits: 1.5 % - 8.6 %
Autoignition temperature: 715 C

Stability
Stable. Substances to be avoided include strong oxidising agents, strong bases, strong acids, alkalies, calcium hypochlorite. Flammable. May discolour in light.

Toxicology
This material is a systemic poison and constitutes a serious health hazard. The risks of using it in the laboratory must be fully assessed before work begins. Vesicant. Typical MEL 2 ppm; typical OEL 1 ppm. Acute poisoning by ingestion, inhalation or skin contact may lead to death. Phenol is readily absorbed through the skin. Highly toxic by inhalation. Corrosive - causes burns. Severe irritant.

Toxicity data
(The meaning of any abbreviations which appear in this section is given here.)
ORL-HMN LDLO 140 mg kg-1
ORL-RAT LD50 317 mg kg-1
IPR-RAT LD50 127 mg kg-1
ORL-RBT LDLO 420 mg kg-1
SKN-RAT LD50 669 mg kg-1

Risk phrases
(The meaning of any risk phrases which appear in this section is given here.)
R24 R25 R34 R36 R37 R38.

Transport information
(The meaning of any UN hazard codes which appear in this section is given here.)
UN No 1671. Hazard class 6.1. Packing group II.
Personal protection
Safety glasses, gloves, good ventilation.

Safety phrases
(The meaning of any safety phrases which appear in this section is given here.)
S28 S45.

[Return to Physical & Theoretical Chemistry Lab. Safety home page.]

---

This information was last updated on May 10, 2005. Although we have tried to make it as accurate and useful as possible, we can take no responsibility for its use or misuse.

---

[libstripper]

LOL

[Chode]

you missed my point... an open valve on a 20lb tank of propane in the right place with a timed ignition source will prolly do a couple orders of magnitude more damage than what he was fooling with could ever produce and can it be bought anywhere with no mixing or fooling around.
it was his method not his maddness that's lacking 8^)