Official: Explosive PETN Used in Attack

(CBS/AP)  The suspect in the attempted bombing of Northwest Flight 253 used a highly explosive substance called PETN, a law enforcement official told CBS News Saturday.

The explosives were carried in a soft plastic container - possibly a condom - though much of the packaging was destroyed in the fire, the official said.

The FBI is questioning the suspect, identified as 23-year-old Nigerian Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, who claimed to be acting on orders from al Qaeda to blow up the airliner, officials said.

A high-ranking law enforcement official told CBS News that the suspect apparently used a syringe to inject a chemical into the powder, which was located near his groin. It is a technique and it's possible that this incident was a test of whether the materials could pass screening and how effective they might be at causing damage, the source said.

According to Encyclopedia Brittanica, PETN is a highly explosive, colorless organic compound, and is related to nitroglycerin. Introduced as an explosive after World War I, PETN is "valued for its shattering force and efficiency ... and is the least stable of the common military explosives but retains its properties in storage for longer periods than nitroglycerin or cellulose nitrate (nitrocellulose) does."

PETN is also used in heart medication as a stimulant.

More Coverage from CBSNews.com:

Official: U.S. Knew of Suspect for 2 Years
U.S. Bolsters Security after Bomb Attack
Report: Father Warned of Bomb Suspect Son
Official: Explosive PETN Used in Attack
Jasper Schuringa ID'd as Flight 253 Hero
Failed Attack Signals New Threat?
Safety in the Air
Fight 253 Terror Scare
Obama Monitors 'Terror' Attempt

The attack began with a pop and a puff of smoke - sending passengers scrambling to subdue the suspect.

Travelers said they smelled smoke, saw a glow, and heard what sounded like firecrackers. At least one person climbed over others and jumped on the man, who officials say was trying to ignite an explosive device.

"It sounded like a firecracker in a pillowcase," said Peter Smith, a passenger from the Netherlands. "First there was a pop, and then (there) was smoke."

The passenger who pounced on the suspect was later , a director from Amsterdam. In extinguishing the explosive device, Schuringa told CNN he suffered minor burns to his hands.

Afterward, the suspect was taken to a front-row seat with his pants cut off and his legs burned. Authorities told CBS News he suffered third-degree burns.

The White House said it believed it was an attempted act of terrorism and stricter security measures were quickly imposed on airline travel. Dutch anti-terrorism authorities said the U.S. has asked all airlines to take extra precautions on flights worldwide that are bound for the United States.

The incident was reminiscent of Richard Reid, who tried to destroy a trans-Atlantic flight in 2001 with explosives hidden in his shoes, but was subdued by other passengers.

[formrusmcsgt]

Now during screening, not only will we have to remove our shoes, but we'll have to get down to our skivvies and have a "finger wave" as well.......

[Scimajor]

The line "chestnuts roasting on an open fire" comes to mind. No idea why.

[Carruthers1]

I worry about the precedent set by the Al Qaeda Bomber that smuggled his explosives in his rectum

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/09/28/eveningnews/main5347847.shtml?tag=contentMain;contentBody

While the "puffer machines" or sniffer dogs might have detected the PETN strapped to the guys leg, they would have had no chance if it was carried aboard in a condom up his rectum. And what about a real terrorist that could get his hands on C4 or Semtex?

So another would-be suicide bomber who didn't quite make the grade. Why come out of the toilet? Did he want to be stopped?

International flight as we know it could be coming to an end............
Reply to this comment

[6591Hou]

PETN is the main component of det cord, it can be used to cut but not much good as a primary charge.

[aubfmet]

If he spent 20 minutes in the bathroom, why didn't he set it off there? Could have been a different outcome.

[oldgeezerpilot]

"...by brianbwb-2009 December 27, 2009 1:28 AM EST
PVperson2

Even the syringe cannot work, PETN is detonated by shock wave, a blasting cap could have set it off, but no chemical combination.

If the story is correct, the best one can surmise is that the perp tried to initiate a chemical explosion by mixing other chemicals, hoping that the resulting shock wave would set off the PETN.

Possible suspects, glycerin in the syringe, magnesium chips and potassium permanganate, mixed with aluminum powder and iron oxide (rust).

This would be a crude attempt at a thermite reaction, which also would make a lot of heat, but no concussion to set off the PETN, and could also explain how the perp got his spheres cooked off. The pops heard were probably the outward-facing packaging rupturing as the reaction heated the powder. Still no shock wave strong enough to set off PETN.

This would explain the "powder" as explosive PETN is a paste, and would be totally useless as a powder, unless you were using it to treat a heart attack victim..."

SO MY QUESTION IS - IF PETN MUST BE SET OFF BY CONCUSSION, IS THIS WHOLE THING A HOAX? WAS THE RICHARD REID CAPER A HOAX AS WELL, DESIGNED TO SIMPLY RATCHET UP THE FEAR FROM THE UNDEREDUCATED FLYING PUBLIC?

[porcine_aviator]

No, it's just that his kid has no practical experience with explosives and no common sense. There is no conspiracy. You just have a dumb@ss Al Qaeda wannabe making a mess.

[brianbwb-2009]

It is quite possible that the perp did not understand the nature of the device he tried to use.

If it was a hoax, I would think that the perp wasn't in on it, otherwise he wouldn't have burned his genitals off with a form of thermite, which is used to cut heavy steel beams for building demolition. That had to hurt beyond pain, there was probably no need to subdue him, as he most likely had no coherent motor control while the stuff was burning through his skin.

I also doubt that he would have waited until the plane was landing, he should rather have tried to maximize the collateral damage by detonating over a more populated area, since the plane had to pass over more densely populated areas of Detroit, Dearborn, and Taylor.

A hoax? Doubtful from the perp's POV, but perfectly within reason for his handlers. Anyone who knows how to make PETN, also knows how it is used, and how to detonate it. The perp obviously didn't.

In modern times it is easy to take a "believer" and use him for purposes other than what he thinks. If, for example, the powers behind the throne decided to assassinate president Obama, they could easily find a neonazi
skinhead, and convince him to do it for his "race", when the real reason is to get Obama out of the way of more devious plans.

The perp says he got the orders from Al Qaeda, and history proves that Al Qaeda was, and probably still is, a CIA asset.

His "Al Qaeda" handlers, on the other hand, very likely knew the attempt would fail, and so set the young sucker up, correctly counting on the war mongers to do the rest of the work getting the farcical wars to continue.

[rwsmith29456]

Jonestown showed us that even educated individuals can be stupefied by persuasive people. The idiots are out there for the gathering.

[brianbwb-2009]

Including those idiots who refuse to consider that perhaps these people are simply reacting to what we have been doing to them.

You know, the kind who pretend to be intelligent, but cannot understand why Iraqis, for example, would be angry at our bombing, rape, torture, invasion, and occupation, and why they would fight back.

Or why Iranians didn't like us imposing the Shah and his murderous SAVAK upon them.

Or why neither side liked us goading them to war with each other, then selling weapons to both sides.

Or why Nigerians, blessed with large fields of light sweet crude, watch western companies rake in billions from Nigeria's resources, while they remain dirt poor.

The kind who pretended to be intelligent, but were persuaded that Iraq had WMDs, and when that proved to be a lie, were then persuaded that there must be some other reason out there somewhere.

Yeah, all the idiots who are convinced that we were just minding our own business, not bothering anyone, and some religious zealots decided out of the clear blue sky, and for no reason to attack us.

Especially since those who claimed to attack us work(ed) for the CIA.

What most of you ignore, is that perfectly intelligent people can oppose US foreign policy, in fact, intelligence and self-preservation requires it.

It is the delusional, "manifest destiny" types that are the ones lacking intelligence.

[ffoulkes-2009]

Sorry, wb, but these idiots have been causing issues like this for centuries now. They attack the west off and on over the decades, and now that we are fighting back, you want to whine. Well, go back in your cave and cover up...that drone is about to drop a bomb on ya.

[overbyte]

This guy was not a stupid impoverished kid -- he is reportedly an engineering student in London living in an upscale apartment building, and his father is a banker. I just don't understand how these educated kids with a future ahead of them get their heads turned around by Islamic fundamentalists and become suicidal terrorists. Maybe an extended psych exam of these failed attempts would shed some light. It's one thing to become a political activist and idealist in college, but this is something different. Has anyone written any in-depth analysis of the phenomenon? Where? Is this the same as the Jonestown drink-the-coolaid cultism was? A charismatic leader, lofty idealism, peer pressure to sacrifice for the cause, etc.?

[tmittelstaed]

Look up the history of the Cambridge Five, it's exactly the same.

The psychology is actually pretty basic. These educated kids who are long on book-learning but short on wisdom get to the point that they feel that they know what's best for this old world, and so take matters into their own hands. With the Cambridge Five they spied, because that was a world of Major Powers against each other, and spying was the way to tip the balance. With the "terrorist wannabes" like these kids today, they are also trying to tip the balance - but since the Major Powers aren't at each other's throats anymore, the idea nowadays is to try to do something that will sway public opinion.

If this kid had managed to blow up an airplane it would have caused a major reaction of public opinion. I -think- that the suspect was hoping that public opinion in the US would be of the vein that Americans are just tired of being attacked, and to get the hell out of Pakistan and Afghanistan. I personally think if it had succeeded the opposite effect would take place, that it would just make even more Americans want to pour more money and resources into Afghanistan.

[ALBrainTrust10]

THEY READ HIM HIS RIGHT TO REMAIN SILENT AND HIRED AN ATTORNEY FOR HIM.....

HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN SHIPPED OFF TO GITMO TO HAVE HIS BURNS TREATED WITH A WIRE BRUSH!

[porcine_aviator]

Even that is too humane for this POS

[wyodutch]

Obviously... the only thing that will calm a frightened American flying public is if the gooberment enacts the "Flyng Bun" regulation.
.
Under the 'Flying Bun' rules, Americans would be instructed to strip naked, whereupon TSA would perform body cavity searches and issue diapers and tyvek coveralls to the passengers whose cavities were found to be clean and lint-free.
.
Once aboard the plane, passengers would be secured to their seats with nylon ties and hoods would be placed over their heads. Suspicious trips to the toilet would be eliminated by the passengers eliminating into their diapers.
.
One can imagine the giddy passengers deplaing at their destination....
"My bottom is chapped from sitting in the elimination for 6 hours... But I really did feel much safer during the flight."

[slownewsday___]

"Hi 5! Americans are such cowards."


Really? How about not hiding behind your anonymous screen name and providing your name and address. Then you can judge again after a few of us come to visit.