'Mother of Satan': The New Terror Weapon of Choice

ABCNews.com ^ | 08/11/2006 | MARY KATE BURKE and LARA SETRAKIAN

[Sleeping Freeper]

It was a different kind of terror plot, as devious as it was dangerous.

The terrorists wouldn't board with bombs. They would board with seemingly harmless household ingredients that wouldn't make a security agent blink.

These explosive fluids could pass for hair gel, fit in a tube of toothpaste, and detonate with the flash of a disposable camera.

The potential weapons would be assembled onboard and ignited in an attempt to kill hundreds in one strike.

In this case, the specific plan was to conceal a liquid bomb ingredient — acetone peroxide, also called the "Mother of Satan."

It would be dyed the color of the beverage at the bottom of a drink container.

This peroxide-based explosive is the same substance reportedly used by London subway bombers just over one year ago.

The top of the bottle would contain the original beverage, allowing terrorists to even drink from the bottle if questioned by security.

A co-conspirator on the same flight, another terrorist, would bring the detonator — in this case the filament found in a disposable camera's bulb.

The 24 terror suspects, now in British custody, allegedly planned to set off explosives on up to 10 cross-Atlantic flights, tearing them to pieces midair.

A Threat the Government Could See Coming

This kind of plot may sound new to most of us, but it's a threat government agencies have known about for years.

[Sleeping Freeper]

More on the plot.....

[Tulsa Ramjet]

"The oldest of the named suspects is 35 and the youngest 17. Thirteen of them are from east London - nine from Walthamstow, one from Chingford, one from Leyton, one from the Limehouse and Poplar area and one from Clapton." So now that they have failed in martyrdom, what are their plans for the future once they get off? Goat herding in Tora Bora? BROKE BACK TERRORISTS Acquaintance of Failed Terrorist (rubbing head of friendly goat eating leaf): "So, what did you do before you came here?" Failed Terrorist: "Actually I was part of that grouped that failed in the potential strike at the infidels of the century." Acquaintance: "Ohhhhh. Riiiiight. I remember something about that. Hair gel, right?" Failed Terrorist: "Hey,...things got complex in planning something like that. Too much overhead, too many trails, and that friggin internet." Acquaintance: "Yeh. Well, anyway, lets go find that missing goat." Failed Terrorist: "Uh,...my break's not over yet."

[Psycho_Bunny]

It's all about Satan, with muslims.

[JohnBovenmyer]

No security defenses are perfectly reliable. Ask the French about their Maginot line. That's why Bush's decision to go on the offensive was so important.

[50sDad]

It's all about Satan, with muslims.

If your culture failed to generate one new idea in a thousand years, you'd be looking to blame someone else too!

[bicyclerepair]

muzloms are spawned by satan.

[Moose4]

It's time to stop looking at the mechanisms--shoes, explosives, liquids--and start looking at the real root cause--which is Islam.

}:-)4

[kevkrom]

This kind of plot may sound new to most of us, but it's a threat government agencies have known about for years.

I feel a little better knowing that the counter-terrorism folks are thinking creatively in order to pre-empt the enemy.

[RoadTest]

"It's time to stop looking at the mechanisms--shoes, explosives, liquids--and start looking at the real root cause--which is Islam. "

That's the smartest thing I've heard in days.
Forget treating the symptoms - go after the root cause with surgery.

[Psalm 73]

Remember that story about those Syrian "musicians" on a flight that were acting strangely -
going into the restroom in pairs, and doing other things to see what kind of reaction they would get?
Some believed it was a "dry-run" of sorts.
Hmmmm.......

[Fiddlstix]

[NormsRevenge]

TATP

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/munitions/tatp.htm

the explosive of choice for the modern day terrorists

it has been used on a number of occasions in the past.

[Carl LaFong]

"the specific plan was to conceal a liquid bomb ingredient — acetone peroxide, also called the "Mother of Satan."

Isn't that the 'special sauce' on a Big Mac?

[Alouette]

The Mother of Satan:

[Red Badger]

From Wikipedia:

TATP is used in a a toy pyrotechnic device known as a "torpedo", consisting of a twist of paper containing gravel coated with a small quantity of TATP. These are thrown onto the ground, producing a satisfying bang. These "torpedoes" are available legally in states that allow firework sales such as Louisiana and Wisconsin. They are sold illegally in the "Chinatown" districts of San Francisco and Los Angeles (California). AKA, Poppers........

[MD_Willington_1976]

Kinepak is easier to make and more stable, though the detectors would probably pick it up easier as it relies on nitrates. Acetone peroxide is very unstable but you need to make it below 10 deg celcius, most planes aren't that cold...

there is an informative wiki on the subject, I know a wiki, but the same info is on the web, just condensed on wiki...

Here's a professor working on a detector his name is Ehud Keinan, he is a chemistry professor at Haifa’s Technion-Israel Institute of Technology.

http://www.worldpress.org/Mideast/2033.cfm

[DeweyCA]

The terrorists must have beem watching old "McGyver" re-runs.

[GeronL]

they would also be carrying babies and baby bottles.

[IronJack]

acetone peroxide, also called the "Mother of Satan."

Wait a second. Acetone peroxide is the mother of Satan? I thought acetone disulfide was the mother of Satan. Acetone peroxide is a maternal aunt.

[ArGee]

You should replace her face with Green Helmet Guy.

Shalom.