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Official: Explosive PETN Used in Attack (Carried in Condom by Suspect?)
CBS News/AP ^ | Saturday, December 26, 2009

Posted on 12/26/2009 10:20:58 AM PST by kristinn

The suspect in the attempted bombing of Northwest Flight 253 used a highly explosive substance called PETN, a law enforcement official told CBS News Saturday.

The explosives were carried in a soft plastic container - possibly a condom - though much of the packaging was destroyed in the fire, the official said.

The FBI is questioning the suspect, identified as 23-year-old Nigerian Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, who claimed to be acting on orders from al Qaeda to blow up the airliner, officials said.

A high-ranking law enforcement official told CBS News that the suspect apparently used a syringe to inject a chemical into the powder, which was located near his groin. It is a technique not seen in previous attempted attacks and it's possible that this incident was a test of whether the materials could pass screening and how effective they might be at causing damage, the source said.

(Excerpt) Read more at cbsnews.com ...


TOPICS: Breaking News; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: abdulmutallab; airlinesecurity; explosives; flight253; globaljihad; northwestflight253; petn; tm
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To: hennie pennie

A google search shows its the core explosive in det cord. it can be used as a booster so there might have been more. Its a very powerful explosive and could have cut through the aircraft skin if placed properly. In his pants its not going to be enough according to what I’ve read.


21 posted on 12/26/2009 10:34:15 AM PST by driftdiver (I could eat it raw, but why do that when I have a fire.)
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To: All
According to this 2005 article, Richard Reid the shoe-bomber used PETN in his thwarted attempt to blow up a passenger jet in flight over Christmas 2001:

In Reid's case, there was a small thread of TATP running through 100 grammes of PETN, a high-grade military plastic explosive, attached to a powder-fuse running through his shoelace. That combination surprised bomb experts - TATP is not the trigger normally used for PETN - but was seen as a sophisticated mixture for avoiding detection.

22 posted on 12/26/2009 10:35:16 AM PST by kristinn (A conspiracy of silence speaks louder than words.)
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To: kristinn

Pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN, also known as corpent, pentrite, or rarely and primarily in German as nitropenta or pentrit), is one of the most powerful high explosives known, with a relative effectiveness factor (R.E. factor) of 1.66.

The most obvious use of PETN is as an explosive. It is more sensitive to shock or friction than TNT or tetryl, and it is never used alone as a booster. It is primarily used in booster and bursting charges of small caliber ammunition, in upper charges of detonators in some land mines and shells, and as the explosive core of detonation cord. Apart from this, PETN is used as a vasodilator, similar to nitroglycerin. A medicine for heart disease, Lentonitrat, is nearly pure PETN.


23 posted on 12/26/2009 10:35:29 AM PST by kcvl
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To: Berlin_Freeper

They *both* look angry.

I guess we ought to put Tiger on the "no drive" list.

24 posted on 12/26/2009 10:35:45 AM PST by grey_whiskers (The opinions are solely those of the author and are subject to change without notice.)
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To: kristinn
Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab

Let me guess. Lutheran. Swedish, maybe Dutch.

Just heard on Fox, new "security regulation": No leaving your seat for one hour before landing.

Then when some Jihadi blows up a plane or sets off something, 1 1/2 hours before landing?

Just all fly naked, I guess.

25 posted on 12/26/2009 10:36:14 AM PST by El Gato ("The Second Amendment is the RESET button of the United States Constitution." -- Doug McKay)
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To: kristinn

Fry’em!


26 posted on 12/26/2009 10:36:20 AM PST by blackminorca
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To: kristinn
Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab

Let me guess. Lutheran. Swedish, maybe Dutch.

Just heard on Fox, new "security regulation": No leaving your seat for one hour before landing.

Then when some Jihadi blows up a plane or sets off something, 1 1/2 hours before landing?

Just all fly naked, I guess.

27 posted on 12/26/2009 10:36:21 AM PST by El Gato ("The Second Amendment is the RESET button of the United States Constitution." -- Doug McKay)
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To: hennie pennie
PETN is a very stable and extremely powerful explosive. It won't detonate unless you use a blasting cap of some kind, but it will burn like crazy.

It looks like this mope couldn't get it to detonate properly and it caught fire. Hence the serious burns he's hopefully suffering from.

28 posted on 12/26/2009 10:37:22 AM PST by Lurker (The avalanche has begun. The pebbles no longer have a vote.)
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To: El Gato

There are very few people I wanna see naked on a plane.


29 posted on 12/26/2009 10:38:48 AM PST by driftdiver (I could eat it raw, but why do that when I have a fire.)
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To: kristinn

Saharareporters has identified the family of Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab, the 23 year old would–be bomber of Northwest Airline flight 253, who was arrested yesterday in Detroit, Michigan. He is the son of the recently retired Chairman of First Bank of Nigeria, Dr. Umaru Abdul Mutallab.


30 posted on 12/26/2009 10:39:07 AM PST by kcvl
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To: kristinn

The terror suspect who tried to blow up a Detroit-bound plane is the son of a Nigerian banker who alerted U.S. authorities to his “extreme religious views” months ago, it was reported Saturday.

The father, Alhaji Umaru Mutallab, a former minister and chairman of First Bank in Nigeria, is shocked that his son was even was allowed to fly to the U.S., family members told the Nigerian newspaper This Day.

The dad was meeting with security officials to discuss his son, identified as Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab, 23.
The younger Mutallab was not on any no-fly list when he flew from Nigeria to Detroit through Amsterdam, Rep. Pete King (R-L.I.) told the Daily News.

When he tried to ignite powder strapped to his leg with a a chemical-filled syringe, he was tackled by a heroic passenger aboard Northwest Flight 253.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2009/12/26/2009-12-26_father_of_umar_farouk_abdul_mutallab_nigerian_terror_suspect_in_flight_253_attac.html


31 posted on 12/26/2009 10:40:41 AM PST by kcvl
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To: tiredoflaundry
Apart from this, PETN is used as a vasodilator, similar to nitroglycerin

There you go. The member of the ROP just had heart problems or high blood pressure. He was probably just taking a few years supply, since he thought he wouldn't be eligible to get any under ObamaCare.

32 posted on 12/26/2009 10:40:57 AM PST by El Gato ("The Second Amendment is the RESET button of the United States Constitution." -- Doug McKay)
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To: kristinn
the suspect apparently used a syringe to inject a chemical into the powder, which was located near his groin.

Sounds like something from an Austin Powers movie...

33 posted on 12/26/2009 10:41:34 AM PST by RobFromGa (The FairTax is to tax policy as Global Warming is to science.)
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To: Berlin_Freeper
Looks like one of Obama’s long lost Brothers.

He probably lives in a really nice Bachelor Hut.

34 posted on 12/26/2009 10:41:58 AM PST by Kickass Conservative (Election 2010. No RATS, No RINOS...)
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To: El Gato
"Just heard on Fox, new "security regulation": No leaving your seat for one hour before landing."

Well, that's just dandy. They're already not enforcing previous (dating back to post-Northwest flight 327 w/Annie Jacobsen) prohibition against passengers being allowed to congregate in the aisles -- that's what the flying imams were also doing, and they got PAID for it!

It reminds me of congress: "We need new rules! We broke all the old ones!!"

35 posted on 12/26/2009 10:42:08 AM PST by cyn (Courage is not the absence of fear, but the mastery of it. ~Mark Twain)
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To: kristinn

He told authorities he got the explosives in Yemen and received orders from Al Qaeda operatives to detonate the device on a plane over U.S. soil, officials said.

He is an engineering student at the University College in London. His last-known address near the school is a $4 million apartment in Central London. Police were searching there Saturday morning.

This Day reported that the suspect has been known for extremist religious views since high school at the British International School in Lome, Togo.

“At the secondary school, he was known for preaching about Islam to his schoolmates and he was popularly called ‘Alfa,’ a local coinage for Islamic scholar,” This Day reported.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2009/12/26/2009-12-26_father_of_umar_farouk_abdul_mutallab_nigerian_terror_suspect_in_flight_253_attac.html


36 posted on 12/26/2009 10:42:40 AM PST by kcvl
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To: grey_whiskers

OK.

Now you’ve done it. That’s hysterical.


37 posted on 12/26/2009 10:43:00 AM PST by combat_boots (The Lion of Judah cometh. Hallelujah."Our middle regiment, Gloria Patri, Filio et Spirito Sancto.)
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To: El Gato

Are you seriouos about the “no leaving your seat for 1 hour” comment. thats completely useless


38 posted on 12/26/2009 10:43:45 AM PST by driftdiver (I could eat it raw, but why do that when I have a fire.)
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To: decimon
IIRC, PETN was what was in detonation cord. Explodes at 23,000 feet per second as compared to C4 at 26,000 feet per second. IIRC

Wiki article says: 8400 m/s for PETN, which would be 27,560 fps.

39 posted on 12/26/2009 10:43:50 AM PST by El Gato ("The Second Amendment is the RESET button of the United States Constitution." -- Doug McKay)
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To: El Gato
Just heard on Fox, new "security regulation": No leaving your seat for one hour before landing.

Why all the "mickey mousing" around?

Mandatory scrubs only, blind folds, and hand cuffs before boarding!

40 posted on 12/26/2009 10:44:43 AM PST by EGPWS (Trust in God, question everyone else)
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