Saturday, August 12, 2006

Why the Recent Airline Bombing Plot Was Most Likely Bogus

Small amounts of liquid explosive smuggled on board via carry-on luggage?

Please.

It is no secret that checked luggage is barely scrutinized at all.

Wouldn't serious terrorists utilize this fact?

As someone pointed out on the Diane Rehm radio show this morning, it is amazing no one has repeated a Pan Am 103 style bombing in the 18 years since that attack occurred.

My guess was that this recent plot was had real suspects but was partially staged-- and was done primarily to show that the authorities are doing their job.

Another reason to doubt the veracity of the plot is the fact that the airport shutdown and change in carry-on luggage screening occurred only after the plot was supposedly broken up and suspects were arrested. If the terrorists had been under surveillance for months, and the authorities knew this was going to happen, wouldn't they have started checking carry-on liquids earlier?