Aeroplane bombing

[HowardKennitby]

The next stage has begun?

http://uk.news.yahoo....b-plot-202723870.html

[237SJ]

The threat to civilian aircraft is constant. There is no "next stage"

[HowardKennitby]

If it is true that it is now possible to construct a bomb containing no metal I consider that a new stage.

[237SJ]

It`s been possible to constuct bombs without metal. Last thing I heard, the powers that be had managed to manufacture a ceramic gun. Very worrying.

[HowardKennitby]

I have not heard about a ceramic gun but I was aware about ones which used a great deal of engineering plastics such as glass-filled phenolics for most of the structural parts.

[237SJ]

All the more reason to install those new scanners in airports Howard (even if they can see everything). I went through one of those scanners in Nigeria and I told the man that was operating it that I hoped he wasn`t looking at my boobs!

[Philtaz]

Ceramic weapons are thus far a myth, perpetrated by Hollywood scriptwriters:

http://community.disc...1919888/m/82819679301

[237SJ]

I`ll take your work for that Philatz. Thanks ;-)

[237SJ]

Sorry *word*

[Gromit]

That story is almost devoid of any facts.

It is just the kind of report the authorities need to justify the hugely unpopular full body scans at airports. The lack of any information about the viability of the 'bomb', if it could or could not be detected by traditional or the new scanners, or how feasible the plot was, means this 'story' has been planted no to reassure us, but to scare us. Perhaps more of these unpopular new scanners are to be introduced in the US and such a scare story now will dampen the opposition to them.

[Gromit]

This is from the BBC report.

// "Initial exploitation indicates that the device is very similar to IEDs that have been used previously by al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) in attempted terrorist attacks, including against aircraft and for targeted assassinations," it added. //

So it is nothing new, and not a threat they already knew about.

[Gromit]

Turns out there is a campaign and a Bill before Congress to "End the Transportation Security Administration" (TSA). These are the agency who scan and interogate passengers and are widely seen as abusing their powers. They are hugely unpopular. A good scaremongering story at this time is just what is needed to justify the agency's survival.

[needawin]

Gromit you hit the nail on the head. A little scare now and again works wonders. Remamber Tony Blair's tanks at Heathrow?

[emmie]

You can install all the scanners you like but how do you guard against someone who has inserted explosives in the anal area, which cannot be detected presumably. This isn't the next stage, it's ongoing.

[jomifl]

em10, full body scan means exactly that, anal and other areas included.

[anotheoldgit]

It is time the authorities thought up new ways of punishing these terrorists when caught and convicted, it is no good executing them because they obviously do not fear death.

And locking them up for life is not the answer, perhaps punishing them through their religion might be the answer, such as a life sentence working in a pig farm, that might scare the hell out of them?

[d9f1c7]

So are we now going to have some Hilter clone searching our undies at the airport?. "Sorry luv it's kit off I'm afraid, rules are rules"!

[anotheoldgit]

d9f1c7

/// So are we now going to have some Hilter clone searching our undies at the airport?. "Sorry luv it's kit off I'm afraid, rules are rules"! ///

If it prevented a suicide bomber from boarding the flight that you and your family were about to travel on, then surely you would be only too grateful to offer yourself up for any search?

Perhaps there should be special flights put on for all those that don't wish to put up with delays and search humiliation?

If there were two boarding gates one with totally no pre boarding security, and the other with strict security, I wonder how many of these complainants would choose the non security boarding option?

[andy-hughes]

Yemen? You mean there are terrorists in Yemen?

How damned usporting of them, when we have wasted hundreds of lives and millions of poinds sorting them out in Afganistan (well we haven't, but we say we have to avoid looking like brainless warmongering empire builders) and now they move to the country next door.

That's the problem with yer foreign types, no grasp of the rules of fair play.

[naomi24]

andy-hughes, I'm clearly missing the joke.

[andy-hughes]

naomi24 - that fact that you see my irony means that you are not missing it.