[gondramB]

"One of the most alarming attributes of TATP is that it cannot be detected by bomb-sniffing dogs, making it easier to smuggle into airports and onto airplanes."

I didnt know that - OK I can see where it's more of a threat than I thought.

[tortoise]

I didnt know that - OK I can see where it's more of a threat than I thought.

A dirty secret is that there are a few families of lesser known high explosives that have completely different chemical signatures such that standard detection methods would not pick them up. Most detection methods depend on nitrogen compounds, which make up virtually all modern industrial and military explosives.

Fortunately, most terrorists buy this stuff rather than manufacture it, and even then it would take some technical competence to know how to defeat detection mechanisms as virtually all well known explosives are detectable. TATP is a lousy explosive, but happens to be in that very tiny family of peroxide explosives, a subset of which (like TATP) avoid conventional detection -- most organic peroxide explosives are so insanely unstable that they spontaneously and/or violently decompose on formation. There is only one organic peroxide I know of that has any plausible use as an explosive and TATP ain't it.

[Southack]

"One of the most alarming attributes of TATP is that it cannot be detected by bomb-sniffing dogs, making it easier to smuggle into airports and onto airplanes."

Who fabricates and disseminates such rank nonsense?? Look below:

"Acetone peroxide (triacetone triperoxide, peroxyacetone, TATP, TCAP) is an organic peroxide. It is a high explosive that can be made from common household items: acetone, hydrogen peroxide, and sulfuric acid. Other strong acids such as hydrochloric acid may also be used as a catalyst. Since its precursors are readily available, it is commonly used by amateur chemists and explosive makers, often for detonators, and is sometimes found in improvised explosive devices. It takes the form of a white crystalline powder with a distinctive acrid smell.

It is highly heat, friction, and shock sensitive. Professional chemists have been injured attempting to use it. Once manufactured the material can degrade during storage, becoming less likely to explode. For its instability, it has been called the "Mother of Satan"."

http://tinyurl.com/almxp