Posted on 02/26/2015 1:02:09 PM PST by illiac
The Transportation Security Administration said it is unlikely to detect and unable to extinguish what an FBI report called “the greatest potential incendiary threat to aviation,” according to a classified document obtained by The Intercept. Yet despite that warning, sources said TSA is not adequately preparing to respond to the threat.
Thermite — a mixture of rust and aluminum powder — could be used against a commercial aircraft, TSA warned in a Dec. 2014 document, marked secret [PDF here]. “The ignition of a thermite-based incendiary device on an aircraft at altitude could result in catastrophic damage and the death of every person onboard,” the advisory said.
TSA said it is unlikely to spot an easy-to-assemble thermite-based incendiary device during security screening procedures, and the use of currently available extinguishers carried on aircrafts would create a violent reaction. The TSA warning is based on FBI testing done in 2011, and a subsequent report.
(Excerpt) Read more at firstlook.org ...
Ah,,,, prior post just beat me....sorry....
Too bad Congress hasn’t issued a threat to disolve TSA.
Does that mean (those who have converted to) the Amish way of life are to be watched at all cost!?
Only if the Thermite burned though something important OR if the rest the aluminum of the airframe caught fire.
other wise its just a hole in the airframe which except in hollywood is really not all that destructive to a modern aircraft
TSA need to get a deranged terrorist to do their dirty work, so that they can get their funding.
Otherwise, they will have to do it themselves.
This threat is nothing new. I suspect the report was created and now "leaked" as part of TSA/Homeland-security's effort to get a clean funding bill.
The TSA metal detectors and x-rays can’t find these two metals?
Sounds fishy.
TSA said it is unlikely to spot an easy-to-assemble thermite-based incendiary device during security screening procedures, so we’ll just have to keep all Muslims off.
oops, guess they can’t do that.
I guess the TSA watched the episode of NCIS where someone used thermite to sabotage a USN vessel.
Nothing to fear from the ROP.......
Well if it was on TV then it must be true.
Well, duh.
Anyone who watches mythbusters could have told them that.
The only way to really make air travel safer is to screen for muslims.
Best and most practical solution.
Amplify all profiling of Obama’s buddies!
Thermite is pretty old stuff. Rust, of course, is iron. I’m surprised a metal detector wouldn’t spot it. A bag of aluminum powder would be tough to conceal, I would think.
There are no extinguishers for class D fires (burning metals). The solution to a burning helicopter on deck was to clear it of people and then push it off the flight deck.
I could stand there and watch it burn until you lost sight of it as it sank.
or “Burn Notice” to burn through an engine block...
Really sounds fishy.
Hey terrorists this might be a good idea for you to try!
DUH
would not put it past them...
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