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 ...
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.
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.
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.
They *both* look angry.
I guess we ought to put Tiger on the "no drive" list.
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.
Fry’em!
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.
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.
There are very few people I wanna see naked on a plane.
Saharareporters has identified the family of Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab, the 23 year old wouldbe 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.
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.
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.
Sounds like something from an Austin Powers movie...
He probably lives in a really nice Bachelor Hut.
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!!"
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.
OK.
Now you’ve done it. That’s hysterical.
Are you seriouos about the “no leaving your seat for 1 hour” comment. thats completely useless
Wiki article says: 8400 m/s for PETN, which would be 27,560 fps.
Why all the "mickey mousing" around?
Mandatory scrubs only, blind folds, and hand cuffs before boarding!
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