Attempted jet bombing
April 7, 2010 7:17 PM Subscribe
There's been another attempt to blow up an American jet with a shoe bomb. Fortunately, it was foiled. Interestingly, a blog has coverage of it now, before any of the mainline media have gotten the story.
This post was deleted for the following reason: this is kind of breaking news and not going well -- mathowie
Wow. Mainstream media got scooped by a guy with a flaming skull animated gif on his page.
posted by qvantamon at 7:20 PM on April 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by qvantamon at 7:20 PM on April 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
Funny, I'm not familiar with this particular news outlet.
posted by sswiller at 7:22 PM on April 7, 2010
posted by sswiller at 7:22 PM on April 7, 2010
I'm picturing the scene at the end of Lethal Weapon 2.
"Diplomatic immunity" *holds up passport*
"It's just been revoked." *shoots dude*
posted by mr_crash_davis mark II: Jazz Odyssey at 7:23 PM on April 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
"Diplomatic immunity" *holds up passport*
"It's just been revoked." *shoots dude*
posted by mr_crash_davis mark II: Jazz Odyssey at 7:23 PM on April 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
I predict in six months we'll all be wearing hospital gowns and TSA-issued flip flops.
posted by desjardins at 7:24 PM on April 7, 2010 [7 favorites]
posted by desjardins at 7:24 PM on April 7, 2010 [7 favorites]
Is this enough examples for us to acknowledge that shoe bombing is too stupid and useless to ever be a serious threat?
posted by moss at 7:24 PM on April 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by moss at 7:24 PM on April 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
In the entire history of air flight. Has airport security ever stopped any attempted bomber?
posted by ecco at 7:24 PM on April 7, 2010
posted by ecco at 7:24 PM on April 7, 2010
ABCNews now has the story.
"United Airlines aircraft are lined up at their gates at Denver International Airport, December 9, 2002." Oh look, the intern knows how to Google.
"The FBI said the man had full diplomat immunity" Might want to work on your writing, though.
posted by Horace Rumpole at 7:26 PM on April 7, 2010
"United Airlines aircraft are lined up at their gates at Denver International Airport, December 9, 2002." Oh look, the intern knows how to Google.
"The FBI said the man had full diplomat immunity" Might want to work on your writing, though.
posted by Horace Rumpole at 7:26 PM on April 7, 2010
In the entire history of air flight. Has airport security ever stopped any attempted bomber?
Well that's weird phrasing, intentionally so?
Any bombing they stop is an attempted bombing, even if they arrest someone in their home, exactlly how do you stop an attempted bombing?
posted by edgeways at 7:27 PM on April 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
Well that's weird phrasing, intentionally so?
Any bombing they stop is an attempted bombing, even if they arrest someone in their home, exactlly how do you stop an attempted bombing?
posted by edgeways at 7:27 PM on April 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
Diplomatic Immunity? LOL. Come on how can anyone think that it would actually cover terrorism.
I met someone who worked for the french embassy once. I didn't think to ask if he had diplomatic immunity. True story.
posted by delmoi at 7:29 PM on April 7, 2010
I met someone who worked for the french embassy once. I didn't think to ask if he had diplomatic immunity. True story.
posted by delmoi at 7:29 PM on April 7, 2010
BBC World News has it now.
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 7:30 PM on April 7, 2010
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 7:30 PM on April 7, 2010
and seriously, one of these times the entire airplane of passengers should just beat the living shit out of someone who does this. Not only for stupidly trying to blow the plane up, but for fueling the justification for making air travel so sucky.
posted by edgeways at 7:31 PM on April 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by edgeways at 7:31 PM on April 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
In the entire history of air flight. Has airport security ever stopped any attempted bomber?
I'm pretty sure it has. If there were no airport security, it would be pretty easy to blow up planes. You could just bring 20 pounds of dynamite with you in your carry on. I doubt the "extra" security put in place after 9/11 has done much.
posted by delmoi at 7:32 PM on April 7, 2010 [2 favorites]
I'm pretty sure it has. If there were no airport security, it would be pretty easy to blow up planes. You could just bring 20 pounds of dynamite with you in your carry on. I doubt the "extra" security put in place after 9/11 has done much.
posted by delmoi at 7:32 PM on April 7, 2010 [2 favorites]
Crap! I keep on forgetting to claim diplomatic immunity. And for some reason I just lost the game again.
posted by jimmythefish at 7:32 PM on April 7, 2010
posted by jimmythefish at 7:32 PM on April 7, 2010
Ace of Spades? THAT Rightwingnut Holywarblogger? He probably hired the guy to do it. Delete this before you give this flaming skull asshole any more traffic.
posted by oneswellfoop at 7:34 PM on April 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by oneswellfoop at 7:34 PM on April 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
If this turns out to be a case where the passenger was being a smartass, I kinda feel that the Air Marshal didn't use enough force...
posted by Thistledown at 7:35 PM on April 7, 2010
posted by Thistledown at 7:35 PM on April 7, 2010
qvantamon,
Ace of Spades is a conservative and humor-driven U.S.-based Political Blog
as if there's a difference
posted by lukemeister at 7:35 PM on April 7, 2010
Ace of Spades is a conservative and humor-driven U.S.-based Political Blog
as if there's a difference
posted by lukemeister at 7:35 PM on April 7, 2010
er.. it may be that he was smoking int he bathroom and when questioned replied sarcastically he was trying to light his shoes on fire... at least some now are reporting it happened that way.
posted by edgeways at 7:43 PM on April 7, 2010
posted by edgeways at 7:43 PM on April 7, 2010
In the entire history of air flight. Has airport security ever stopped any attempted bomber?
Meh. The evidence is so-so, but I'd lean towards yes. Recall that there is a long history of people trying to blow up aircraft. Word search for "airport" in the link, unless you want to read some fascinating stuff related to crime and place. It's in there.
posted by _cave at 7:44 PM on April 7, 2010
Meh. The evidence is so-so, but I'd lean towards yes. Recall that there is a long history of people trying to blow up aircraft. Word search for "airport" in the link, unless you want to read some fascinating stuff related to crime and place. It's in there.
posted by _cave at 7:44 PM on April 7, 2010
This has all the makings of something nasty and newsfiltery which will not be the best-of-the-web.
posted by markkraft at 7:45 PM on April 7, 2010
posted by markkraft at 7:45 PM on April 7, 2010
Why is this still here?
"blow up an American jet with a shoe bomb"
IM FUCKING POSSIBLE
It takes some very powerful (and hard to get) explosive to do any damage to a jetliner in a quantity you can put in two shoes and that's only if you're holding your feet against the fusilage (preferably at a window) and even then it'll only blow a hole big enough for your charred corpse to fit through.
PLEASE stop spreading the myth of "shoe bombing". Or else YOU are doing the terrorizing.
posted by oneswellfoop at 7:50 PM on April 7, 2010 [4 favorites]
"blow up an American jet with a shoe bomb"
IM FUCKING POSSIBLE
It takes some very powerful (and hard to get) explosive to do any damage to a jetliner in a quantity you can put in two shoes and that's only if you're holding your feet against the fusilage (preferably at a window) and even then it'll only blow a hole big enough for your charred corpse to fit through.
PLEASE stop spreading the myth of "shoe bombing". Or else YOU are doing the terrorizing.
posted by oneswellfoop at 7:50 PM on April 7, 2010 [4 favorites]
it may be that he was smoking int he bathroom and when questioned replied sarcastically he was trying to light his shoes on fire...
Was it Ben Kingsley?
posted by kid ichorous at 7:51 PM on April 7, 2010
Was it Ben Kingsley?
posted by kid ichorous at 7:51 PM on April 7, 2010
Light his shoes on fire?
Was there a wick attached to his shoe... made by ACME?
If so, there's a certain coyote who's in big trouble.
posted by weezy at 7:51 PM on April 7, 2010
Was there a wick attached to his shoe... made by ACME?
If so, there's a certain coyote who's in big trouble.
posted by weezy at 7:51 PM on April 7, 2010
Excuse me while I run around in circles, screaming and shouting.
posted by telstar at 7:54 PM on April 7, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by telstar at 7:54 PM on April 7, 2010 [2 favorites]
Well, hijacking is something different than bombing, I suppose. The Maryland report that I linked came out before bombing became a big deal. I can't think of a substantial reason to claim that what works for the one crime has no effect on the other but there could be a difference.
posted by _cave at 7:56 PM on April 7, 2010
posted by _cave at 7:56 PM on April 7, 2010
Has airport security ever stopped any attempted bomber?
"Hey, dude, let's go to the airport and blow up a plane."
"Nahh. We'd get caught."
Does that qualify? Or do you need to actually have the giant Bugs Bunny-esque plunger in your hand?
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 8:00 PM on April 7, 2010
"Hey, dude, let's go to the airport and blow up a plane."
"Nahh. We'd get caught."
Does that qualify? Or do you need to actually have the giant Bugs Bunny-esque plunger in your hand?
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 8:00 PM on April 7, 2010
This pisses me off mightily. My own particular annoyance in the larger experience of suck that is US air travel is taking off my shoes at security. I hope they make Richard Reid take off his shoes every time he enters or leaves his cell.
posted by swerve at 8:01 PM on April 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by swerve at 8:01 PM on April 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
Wow, is it already time for another Harold & Kumar movie?
posted by lukemeister at 8:02 PM on April 7, 2010
posted by lukemeister at 8:02 PM on April 7, 2010
I wonder if he was read his Miranda rights?
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 8:02 PM on April 7, 2010
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 8:02 PM on April 7, 2010
Has airport security ever stopped any attempted bomber?
Yes!
posted by Confess, Fletch at 8:04 PM on April 7, 2010
Yes!
posted by Confess, Fletch at 8:04 PM on April 7, 2010
Uh, could we get an edit on this, mods? Because the original post reads "someone tried to blow up a plane," when apparently what really happened was that someone tried to be a snotball and forgot to say hamburger at the end.
posted by Diablevert at 8:05 PM on April 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Diablevert at 8:05 PM on April 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
MSNBC is on it now, and they say it may have been a misunderstanding.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 8:07 PM on April 7, 2010
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 8:07 PM on April 7, 2010
This thread had a really enjoyable arc.
posted by M.C. Lo-Carb! at 8:08 PM on April 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by M.C. Lo-Carb! at 8:08 PM on April 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
Diplomatic Immunity? LOL. Come on how can anyone think that it would actually cover terrorism.
It would cover it. Of course if they refused to waive it, the US would merely call his actions an act of war, which it would techincally be.
posted by Ironmouth at 8:08 PM on April 7, 2010
It would cover it. Of course if they refused to waive it, the US would merely call his actions an act of war, which it would techincally be.
posted by Ironmouth at 8:08 PM on April 7, 2010
Just to make something clear: the main reason I posted this was that I thought it was noteworthy that a blog was doing real reporting on this story before anyone in the mainline media seemed to notice it.
If it turns out to not be a real bombing attempt, that doesn't change the main point.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 8:09 PM on April 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
If it turns out to not be a real bombing attempt, that doesn't change the main point.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 8:09 PM on April 7, 2010 [1 favorite]
« Older PASSING stranger! you do not know how longingly I... | Passage from India Newer »
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
posted by xmutex at 7:20 PM on April 7, 2010