A field day for the baggage thieves. Typical of my sad little country that it poodles along after the US. Blair and Bush; now May and Trump. Always seeking a pat on the head from our masters. It's ironic that the Brexiteers claimed that they were interested in UK "independence". In fact, many of the leading Tories in the group are far-right Atlanticists. Fox, Gove, Johnson... they'd be much happier in Redneckville.
scottish-guy (March 23rd, 2017)
In all probability Oliver the Intel for this came from The UK. Even the Chinese have complained about GCHQs listening skills.
It all sounds suspicious. How would it, detonating in cargo, be any less impactful? No doubt, when the device is out of the hands of the rightful owner, it can be searched more discretely. Perhaps an increase in lost or late baggage from these carriers passing through the US would explain what's really up.
Surfcrest
It takes a significantly larger quantity of explosives to bring down an airliner if the explosion is in the hold. If you think that an explosion in the cabin at cruising speeds just needs to blow out a window to have a good chance of bringing down the plane. The hold is a more solid structure, and the greater quantity of explosives needed also mean that there is a greater chance of detection in taking them onto the plane.Originally Posted by Surfcrest
I don't know if this has been put into use yet, but a while ago a bomb proof lining for the hold was developed in the UK that meant that even if there was an explosion there, it can be contained within the hold.
http://www.sciencealert.com/this-bom...ns-on-aircraft
Surfcrest (March 23rd, 2017)
Lithium batteries plus crazed but brilliant zealots plus seriously skilled electronics experts = not too hard to work out really.
rubbish - this is just security theater the same as the 100ml of liquid, etc - there has never been any evidence that "crazed but brilliant zealots" could assemble a significant explosive device inside the secure area of an airport or in an airplane toilet from such liquids and I am waiting with bated breath for the evidence that there is a credible threat that this can be done from components concealed in a laptop!
but even if it can theoretically be done do they seriously expect us to believe that scanning of carry-on items for for passengers from say Egypt to the USA transiting through or originating in Bangkok on Thai is significantly better than transiting through or originating in Dubai on Emirates?
and do they seriously expect us to believe that US/UK "no-fly lists" and carry-on baggage scanning is so reliable that laptops present no risk on flights leaving the US/UK, only on arriving flights? or do these governments not care about their nationals being killed on exploding outgoing flights?
and I am sure the major US/UK airlines, after years of crying into their beers about unfair government support for Emirates, Qatar, et al. (no not EL AL), are not that upset about the "inconvenience" for their passengers!
bkkguy
Surfcrest (March 23rd, 2017)
Somali airliner bombing suspect smuggled exploding laptop onto plane: official
DEBKAfile February 7, 2016, 9:49 PM (IDT)
The passenger who became the lone fatality in the February 2 bombing of a commercial flight from Somalia to Djibouti was handed a laptop by two people, suspected airport workers, in military uniforms at the airport in Mogadishu before boarding the flight, a Somali government spokesman said Saturday. The suspect was sucked out of Daallo Airlines Flight 159. He has now been identified as Abdullah Abdisalam Borleh, who knew exactly where to sit. Nevertheless the pilot managed to turn back and land the plane safely at Mogadishu.
The spokesman added that over 20 people, including the two airport workers, government officials and businessmen, have been arrested on suspicion of being linked to the attack. The FBI is said to be assisting the Somalian government in the investigation. http://www.debka.com/newsupdatepopup...lane-official-
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daallo...nes_Flight_159
I have to take my laptop out of my bag every time I go through security, and in Istanbul I even had to switch it on so staff can see the screen is working.
I have no idea what you are talking about, can you elaborate? Anyway, there is little "brilliant" and "skilled" about most of the attacks, rather crude and simple.
The hold is at the same pressure as the surrounding air, I don't think it can sustain a fire.
I think an explosion at the right place inside the passenger area (choosing a seat next to window over the wing?) needs much less explosive than in the luggage area to bring the plane down. And it can be done over a populated area to maximize damage.
Last edited by christianpfc; March 24th, 2017 at 12:15.
I'm not sure the comment about fire in the hold is accurate. In 1987 a South African Airways B747 combi en route from Taipei to Johannesburg crashed into the sea off Mauritius with the loss of all lives. The cause of the crash was a fire in the cargo hold which was so hot it disintegrated part of the hull. It is thought that lithium batteries might have spontaneously combusted, but the true cause of the fire was never discovered.
In 1996 a ValuJet DC9 crashed in the Everglades due to fire In the cargo hold. And the whole lithium battery issue was highlighted in 2010 with a cargo hold fire which caused the crash of a UPS 747
Surfcrest (March 24th, 2017)
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