Reports of AQAP Developing Liquid Explosive

By Jeralyn, Section War on Terror
Posted on Wed Aug 07, 2013 at 03:42:59 PM EST
Tags: Yemen, AQAP (all tags)

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Update: Already being debunked. Another report on this from yesterday here.

This sounds like more "crazy pants" to me, but a new report in the Yemen Post claims that U.S. officials are saying what prompted U.S. actions in Yemen this week is concern that AQAP has developed a hard to detect liquid explosive for terror attacks:

Senior US security officials have explained that "Clothes dipped in the liquid reportedly became explosive devices when dry and might be worn by suicide attackers." Such technology would essentially turn anyone into a terror suspect and make prevention and detection a logistical nightmare.

As several media outlets wondered on Tuesday why the Pentagon had been so keen to see its nationals leave Yemen and arrange for the return home of all its non-essential diplomatic staff, in what appeared to be a security frenzy, Wednesday brought the answer, liquid explosive.

The report says the creator of the "technological breakthrough" is alleged bombmaker Ibrahim al-Asiri.

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Reports of AQAP Developing Liquid Explosive | 23 comments (23 topical)

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Great... (5.00 / 1) (#1)
by ScottW714 on Wed Aug 07, 2013 at 03:52:07 PM EST

....no pants at the airport.

FYI Senior US security officials, nitroglycerin has been around since the 1800's. Liquid explosives are not new.

I have sort of been wondering (none / 0) (#3)
by Zorba on Wed Aug 07, 2013 at 04:03:22 PM EST

about when the TSA would get around to requiring all of us to strip down, put all our clothes into a clear plastic bag, fly nude, and then be reunited with our clothing when we disembark.
And yes, this is kind of snark. But, OTOH, maybe not. :-(


TSA issued bodysuits (5.00 / 3) (#4)
by Dadler on Wed Aug 07, 2013 at 04:08:58 PM EST

Skin colored, nipples painted on.


That's it, (5.00 / 5) (#6)
by msaroff on Wed Aug 07, 2013 at 04:29:56 PM EST

The next time I go through one of the scanners and have to put my hands above my head palms together, I am going full YMCA dance.

BTW, I do not believe that AQAP has somehow discovered new chemistry.

I call bullsh%$ on this report. I think that this is an attempt to justify their going batsh%$ insane over Snowden.


Agreed. (5.00 / 1) (#7)
by sarcastic unnamed one on Wed Aug 07, 2013 at 04:39:47 PM EST

I do not believe that AQAP has somehow discovered new chemistry.
I call bullsh%$ on this report.

I love it! (5.00 / 1) (#9)
by Zorba on Wed Aug 07, 2013 at 04:45:34 PM EST

It's fun to stay at the YMCA. Village People.
What would they do if we all started with the YMCA dance?
Unfortunately, probably we would not be allowed on our flight. But boy, is this tempting! :-)

YMCA.


Thank you (5.00 / 4) (#11)
by MO Blue on Wed Aug 07, 2013 at 04:56:18 PM EST

Not a good day for me in many ways. Yet the visual that came to my mind from your post brought about a really, really good belly laugh. I have found that belly laughs always make your days better.


: Laughter is the best healer, in many ways (5.00 / 1) (#12)
by christinep on Wed Aug 07, 2013 at 05:00:05 PM EST

I accomplish something similar (none / 0) (#23)
by ruffian on Fri Aug 09, 2013 at 11:57:10 AM EST

by elevating my middle fingers. Not sure they notice, but it makes me feel better.


Republicans will demand (none / 0) (#10)
by scribe on Wed Aug 07, 2013 at 04:48:23 PM EST

that the bodysuits' painted-on nipples be covered with pasties.


FYI (none / 0) (#18)
by ScottW714 on Thu Aug 08, 2013 at 10:12:40 AM EST

You can buy T-shirts that either cover certain areas in the scanner or send a message to the Gestapo.


Just got back from a trip (none / 0) (#20)
by sarcastic unnamed one on Thu Aug 08, 2013 at 11:25:56 AM EST

and watched the TSA body scan screens.

On these particular screens (Newark, NJ) if there was nothing in your pockets, etc., the screen was blank and simply showed a green "PASS."

If there was something to check, a unisex cartoon drawing of a person appeared with a mark showing where to look.

Sorry, I don't think a t-shirt message would have been transmitted to the Gestapo...


: Okay, maybe so (none / 0) (#22)
by sj on Thu Aug 08, 2013 at 12:23:24 PM EST

but you have to admit that is an awesome idea. :)

Makes not a bit of sense to me. (5.00 / 2) (#19)
by Mikado Cat on Thu Aug 08, 2013 at 10:13:06 AM EST

What blows up and how is pretty well known. Really powerful tends to be really unstable, and stable things that go boom have huge commercial application within mining and other industries, so something that worked would not be ignored.

What is it that is less powerful than dynamite or C4 and in a fairly small quantity is supposed to be of great concern?

I want my freedom and privacy back until there is some probable cause to violate either.

I want my Micra pocket tool and Victorinox keychain knife, scissors, tweezers, back too.

: You Just Remined Me... (none / 0) (#21)
by ScottW714 on Thu Aug 08, 2013 at 11:45:00 AM EST

...in surface mining, they drill holes and a truck filled with liquid explosive is driven from hole to hole. They use gallons of the stuff for each hole.
I would google it, but I don't want to get on some list or have the Fed knocking on my door.

I thought this had been debunked (none / 0) (#2)
by scribe on Wed Aug 07, 2013 at 03:57:07 PM EST

or am I not up on things?

Yemen is reporting this today (none / 0) (#5)
by Jeralyn on Wed Aug 07, 2013 at 04:26:44 PM EST

But yes, ABC reported it (5.00 / 1) (#8)
by Jeralyn on Wed Aug 07, 2013 at 04:44:36 PM EST

yesterday and it's already being debunked.


: Everything about (5.00 / 3) (#13)
by bmaz on Wed Aug 07, 2013 at 05:28:18 PM EST

the latest round of terror scaring is crazypants.

I can't see the FP post w/o a subscription (none / 0) (#14)
by shoephone on Wed Aug 07, 2013 at 07:09:24 PM EST

Can someone just give the short story version?

Here you go (5.00 / 1) (#15)
by bmaz on Wed Aug 07, 2013 at 07:51:12 PM EST

The root takeaway is that al-Asiri's bombs are not, historically, very effective (he did, however, blow his own brother up with a butt bomb).

Liquids, new explosives, hiding devices in clothing. This sounds a bit like the lethal clothing that ABC is reporting. And it certainly fits with Asiri's alleged methods.
But given that none of his devices have worked as intended, should Americans be panicking? One explosives expert tells Foreign Policy that while this alleged blouse-bomb may sound terrifying, and remind us of something out of an action flick, it is very risky for the bomber. A device consisting of explosives-dipped clothing, the expert said, is certainly plausible. Cotton is a carbon, and if you add fuel to it, you can create an explosion. But once the attacker starts moving, the clothes will flex, causing heat, shock, friction, and static -- all things that make a bomb go boom. "In my opinion, you'll have a highly unstable bomb that doesn't have enough power to kill someone within five feet of it," the expert said.

Also, I think you can get into FP with a Twitter or Facebook account if you hit the right button.


: Sounds like guncotton to me. (none / 0) (#16)
by Mr Natural on Wed Aug 07, 2013 at 09:51:28 PM EST

Heck, in Cinema's early days, they made filmstock out of this stuff.
None of these alleged masterminds sound much like masterminds to me.

: Thanks bmaz (none / 0) (#17)
by shoephone on Thu Aug 08, 2013 at 03:13:16 AM EST

for the synopsis. Seems like there must be some high-value info that accompanied this global reaction, info none of us plebes are or will be privy to -- otherwise, it's a whole lot like the conveniently timed Bush/Cheney "be afraid, be very afraid!" scenarios of the past.
What's a plebe to do?