Subway tunnel would have confined the gas, boosting lethality. This is exactly the same thing Aum ShinRiKyou did in the Tokyo subway Sarin gas attack in 1994.
The flares were to simulate the appearance of emergency work, the better to stop the train IN the cyanide cloud. Then, everyone would start dying.
The authorities are covering this up in an effort to avoid panic.
The only positive thing about this was that the name of the perp did not appear super muzzie-esque.
Could the flares have also given him some of the heat/flame for to make the cyanide into a gas (for wide dispersal)?
Two words: Richard Reid...
Where did you see his name mentioned? Doesn’t really matter if he’s Muslim, or not. He could be one of those skulls full of mush who tends to side with the ‘underdog’, those being the poor Muslims who have been so mistreated around the world, and wanted to strike a blow for them. Of course, he would have learned that in his courses in college.