Latest Terror plot foiled-New Security Measures from Midnight

**Mick** · 01-11-2010, 16:02

Security Crackdown In Wake Of Jet Bomb Plot:

Quote:

The Home Secretary has announced a security crackdown in the wake of the cargo plane terror plot, including the banning of printer cartridges in hand luggage from midnight.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Teresa May also said the suspension of flights containing unaccompanied air freight to this country from Yemen and Somalia will be extended from 12am.

A tip-off from a leading al Qaeda militant who surrended to Saudi Arabia led to the discovery of a bomb hidden in computer printer cartridges on a cargo plane in the UK, according to Yemeni security officials.

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Wor...rgency_Meeting

Experts say had the bombs gone off this would have been another Lockerbie style attack on UK/US soil.

Hom3r · 01-11-2010, 16:07

They type I believe they mean are Laser printer toner, not that many people carry printers or cartridges in there hand luggage.

**Mick** · 01-11-2010, 16:19

That's just it, it's a little obvious sending something like printer cartridges to a place where you could get one just as easily and cheaply i.e in the US.

What is concerning is that most Airport scanners can't trace the type of explosive they are using, PETN which bomb experts say is said to be about 40-50% more powerful than TNT.

Pog66 · 01-11-2010, 16:25

why does it feel like the stable door being bolted? Surely "they" will just use something else to hide PETN in.

**Hugh** · 01-11-2010, 16:56

FYI, PETN was the explosive be used by Richard Reid (The Shoe Bomber) and Umar Farouk (The Underpants Bomber).

**Maggy** · 01-11-2010, 17:01

As I understand it PETN can be set off by a laser..Is that why it was hidden in a laser cartridge?

Osem · 01-11-2010, 17:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maggy J

As I understand it PETN can be set off by a laser..Is that why it was hidden in a laser cartridge?

Not sure what you mean but in a laser printer the laser light doesn't actually come into direct contact with the toner. IIRC it's only used to create an electrostatically charged 'image' on the photosensitive drum onto which the toner is attracted, transfered onto the output medium and then heat fused onto it to form the final printed image.

punky · 01-11-2010, 17:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maggy J

As I understand it PETN can be set off by a laser..Is that why it was hidden in a laser cartridge?

No. Lasers have a power and one generated by a laser printer would be insignifcant.

The bombs were designed to detonated via a GSM reciever (basically a mobile phone without the screen and keypad) linked to a small amount of a combustive substance which sets off the PETN.

MovedGoalPosts · 01-11-2010, 17:48

The type of explosive can't easily be detected by scanners, but the electronics needed to detonate can be. What they have been clever in doing is putting the explosives in a device where electronics are expected which might be sufficient to deceive anyone viewing a scanner.

haydnwalker · 01-11-2010, 17:48

...and yet they aren't trying to up the freight security...have there been any cases of laserjet toner bombs in passengers luggage? No! They were in Freight... This isn't going to make any difference IMO

MovedGoalPosts · 01-11-2010, 17:55

I've always wondered why the rules get so paranoid that baggage can't travel if the passenger doesn't get on a flight, so it has to be removed. Yet it's OK for an airline to send the baggage on a next flight when it alone get's delayed at an airport. Freight has to be an equally dodgy thing. Even so given the prevalence of the suicide bomber in modern terrorism, accompanied or unaccompanied isn't really a precaution.

TheNorm · 01-11-2010, 19:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hugh

FYI, PETN was the explosive be used by Richard Reid (The Shoe Bomber) and Umar Farouk (The Underpants Bomber).

It is also a drug sometimes used to treat heart disease - but that is probably getting a little bit off topic.

chris9991 · 01-11-2010, 20:04

It's well and good stopping freight from Yemen and Somalia but what is to stop someone driving over the border and getting the freight put on a flight on another country?

It seems to me that new security rules get introduced and then the enemy work their way around them and we introduce even stronger rules, and so on

**Mick** · 01-11-2010, 21:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob

I've always wondered why the rules get so paranoid that baggage can't travel if the passenger doesn't get on a flight, so it has to be removed.

In part it is known as passenger reconciliation, it is a security measure in place to ensure that luggage is accompanied by a passenger travelling on the same flight, these rules were in place before the Lockerbie Terror attack happened in 1988, however, Pan Am at Heathrow, apparently didn't carry out this process or failed to notice that there was no passenger accompanying the luggage when the Boeing 747 which exploded over Scotland.

**Chris** · 01-11-2010, 21:42

I've been sat on a plane at Heathrow and had the captain come on the intercom to explain we can't depart because a passenger hasn't turned up ... and they can't go without him as he has a checked-in bag in the hold.

Waiting for the passenger was, apparently, marginally less wasteful of time than opening the hold to find and remove his bag.