A shocking development in a recent suicide bombing has security and intelligence officials extremely concerned according to a BBC report. The report confirms earlier suspicions that the al Qaeda suicide bomber who died while attempting to kill a Saudi prince in Jeddah last month apparently hid the explosives inside his body and detonated them using a cell phone.
Related Articles
- Philippine airport bomb kills two (bbc.co.uk)
- You: Young Afghan suicide bomber approached wedding guests (latimes.com)
- Russian Suicide Bomb Ring Foiled, Government Says (nytimes.com)
The al-Qaeda assailant that tried to blow up the Saudi prince had hidden explosives inside his body. While airport and other security worry about metal detectors not discovering “human bombs” there might be a greater worry.
Al-Qaeda and other terrorists could not only copy this “human bomb scenario” to kill hard-targets, but subsequently combine with explosives inside the bodies of Terrorists, capsulated viruses or bacteria that might disperse upon impact, causing an entire group of people—illness and death: viruses that have delayed incubation periods might not be discovered immediately after a “human-detonation.” Bomb victims would be transported to hospitals where they might infect personnel and patients: uninjured bomb victims, but infected, would go home and other places contaminating populations. It would be imprudent not to believe for a moment, al-Qaeda won’t use any kind weapon to destroy its perceived enemies. Al-Qaeda’ recent use of a “human bomb” has far-reaching implications that could adversely affect our civil liberties.
I think that this threat has been blown out of proportion (pardon the pun). For the same reasons that a bomb secreted inside the human body will avoid detection, it will also be fairly ineffective as a weapon. In the case of the man who attempted to take the life of the Saudi prince, the explosive force was directed downward, blowing the bomber in half and creating a crater on the floor. I would assume that any explosive (either swallowed or inserted in the rectum) would behave in the same way; the solar plexus and rib cage will force the explosion toward the soft tissue in the abdomen. Further, any collateral damage from shrapnel (even though a bomb this size must be small) will be lessened due to the fact that it will be slowed traveling through the body.
Thats all fine and good that the force of the blast would be forced downward, but the main concern of this is the expolsive going undetected at airport security checkpoints. Then the direction of the blast, down, up or sideways really is not the concern then is it?
I agree with Scott, for the most part…
However, at airports there is nothing in place to detect it and in a pressurized 747 at 38,000ft and 550mph.. we have a serious, serious problem if someone like this detonates…
Let’s hope it’s never tried.
I think we are missing two points that I have been attempting to make within our own organization for years now.
1. Learning has occurred. They test our systems and responses and learn from them. Then they go back and develop techniques to undermine and avoid our tactics. Religious and political foes are the most virulent group to deal with because of their belief that they are right and that they have a duty to see it through.
2. In that they will stop at nothing to attain their objective. No the bomb can’t be that large to fit inside the rectum of a terrorist or to be swallowed. However, who is to say that they have not had it implanted? Do we check for incisions or scars. Ever think about a person who has a colostomy? Who is going to check that? Yes a supposedly full colostomy bag can hold a good amount of explosive. Usually at least 1000cc. or 1 liter of “fluid”. You see, it is only as difficult to bypass our socially soft attitude as it is to sit down and think about what would embarrass us or better yet, What would the ACLU fight for? If you checked everyone that had a Colostomy bag that attempted to get on an airplane, you would have a courtroom full of attorneys just chomping at the bit. Sad. Isn’t it? But this is the change that needs to occur in this country and across the seas. If you have nothing to hide, then help us do our job of protecting you from harm. Don’t fight against us.