Homeland Security warns of 'pillow bombs'

[emad]

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Department of Homeland Security on Tuesday confirmed terrorists have discussed using stuffed animals, pillows and clothing to smuggle explosives aboard commercial airliners. The explosive -- nitrocellulose -- is a propellant for ammunition and some rockets and is extremely flammable when packed in a sturdy container.

<snip>

The department issued a warning about the possible use of nitrocellulose on August 8 to airport managers, state and local law enforcement and border agents after receiving "actionable intelligence" that al Qaeda or other terrorist groups were trying to exploit this explosive method.

<snip>
http://edition.cnn.com/2003/US/10/14/pillow.bomb/index.html

Hope they include soft furnishings as well - my neighbour's just bought a new sofa and matching armchairs with a Che Guevara motif on the upholstery, imported all the way from Bali!

[CWebster]

1. ratcheting up the fear factor

again.

[Atman]

2. Is that anything like the lethal "dutch oven?" n/t

.

[SpiralHawk]

3. Survey: Pillow bombs Vs. Shoe bombs

How would you prefer to end it all is Bush gets re-elected?


Me, I'm kinda partial to the bitter irony of a pillow bomb. But then again, a shoe bomb also has a certain quirky flair.

[liberalmuse]

4. A nice, fluffy pillow bomb...

it just sounds like a pleasant way to go. The asthetics would be better than those other bombs. Blood and guts look so much more surreal with feathers floating all around. Anyway, if Bush is re-ejected, I'm going to live in the woods like a wild animal, eating tree bark and those red and white polka-dotted mushrooms.

[emad]

8. Polka-dotted mushrooms?

Amanita muscari? Try living off them anyway, regardless of who's in charge at the W H. Just so long as you're 'living in the woods' and not 'living by the bushes' hem hem...

Tree bark is also good for you: aspirin comes from the bark of the silver birch, I think, and will help with those post-mushroom headaches!

[Media_Lies_Daily]

5. Next thing you know, they'll be warning us about vegetable bombs...

BOO!!! BOOGA-BOOGA!!!

[papau]

6. nitrocellulose was a 7th grade science assignment back in the 50's

After you made some - you "popped" it - and noted how poorly your attempt at a vacuum production had gone.

I may be off a bit - it might have been high school freshmen year.

But now we have terrorist doing some home chemistry ? - or are they buying commercial stuff for which we need a gun like control system?

[Ellen Forradalom]

7. How does security intend to detect nitrocellulose?

Would the explosive turn up in xrayed stuffed animals and pillows? Would someone wear clothing packed with the stuff? How is it detonated?

[emad]

9. Sniffer dogs.

Spot and Barney will lead the trials to train Dumbo's new squad of all-purpose anti-terrorism canines, and will get a new $billion budget to go round sniffing people's pillows in the war against terra.

[MrPrax]

20. Spot and Barney? McGruff

Hell no...McGruff!! would train them to find pillows, exploding veggies, Maxwell Smart explodo-shoephones, killer drones, ghost ships, WMDs and a *ucking clue to how ridiculous they are!!!


Hey Kids!! McGruff wants you to pull his finger!!!

[demdave]

17. I once ignited an entire car glove compartment of nitrocellulose

A friend and I bought a firecracker how-to book and he made about 1 cubic foot of nitrocellulose. He had it in the glove compartment of his car when he showed it to me. I was smoking......big flash, some heat, damn near no ash or anything. No damage to the glove compartment or us.

It has no odor before or after, it looks just like cotton.

It needs to be in a container to create enough pressure for an explosion. However, the container doesn't have to be hard, it merely needs to be strong. We have made "soft" pipe bombs out of strapping tape and black powder. They make one hell of a loud noise and left a smoking hole in the ground, about the same size and effect as the old M-80s or Silver Salutes ( I dated myself with that reference :)).

I have no idea what shows up on the airport scanners, but I thought all explosives were highlighted. I certainly hope the Feds have thought about this.

[emad]

18. Thanks Demdave,

I have mailed your post to my 16yr old, who relies on the Anarchists' Cookbook for his incendiary device recipies and combustion experiments that he and his chums regularly conduct in our back yard (Guy Fawkes Day is coming up soon in the UK)>

Perhaps this will help wean him off weed killer (sodium chlorate?) recipies, which nearly always smell foul and leave the neighbours effing and blinding about our 'unusual barbecue fuel'.....

[jburton]

19. Harass all brown people

That's how.

[snippy]

10. I thought this was about the First Lump in the Bed.

[emad]

11. Lump in the Bed - sounds like lumpen - a term usually

mentioned in the same breath as 'proletariat' in Social Science classes...

I think Dubya is the Lump in the Bed

[rocktivity]

12. DUCT AND COVER! (But not with a pillow)

Sounds like the perfect time for a rousing rendition of Take Back The Media's Duct Tape Theater!


rocknation

[tlcandie]

14. Pillow fights anyone? Seriously, August 8th and we are JUST

now being WARNED?! :spank:

[short bus president]

16. No, we were warned about the Teddy Bears of Death

long ago - shortly after "the shoe bomber" was caught. This article is a fearmongering retread. Hope Tom fucking Ridge is proud of himself.

[pansypoo53219]

13. all the more reason

to stick to fluffy down/feather pillows.

[MiddleRiverRefugee]

15. Guess my Fender bass will never be allowed on a plane again...

Nitrocellulose is a component of the lacquer finish.

Not that I'd trust it to airline baggage handlers without opposable thumbs.

[Lisa]

21. hey, maybe we should arrest Bush ...

He's always carrying that "pilly" around with him. Darned suspicious, if you ask me.

[PurityOfEssence]

22. What's next? Milk and cookie bombs? Cuddly kitten bombs?

What's the matter with you, aren't you scared yet?