U.S. Warns Terrorists May Try To Surgically Implant Explosives In Humans To Blow Up Jets

Terrorism • July 2011 • Views: 2,025

Federal law enforcement officials have warned airlines that terrorists seeking to blow up commercial jets may seek to surgically implant explosives in their bodies, the Associated Press is reporting.

Citing an unnamed security official, the AP says the warning is not in response to a specific plot, but that there is new intelligence terrorist groups are considering using the tactic.

The Transportation Security Administration says passengers may experience longer-than-usual screening procedures when traveling into the United States in response to the advisory.

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5 comments

Decatur Deb Wed, Jul 6, 2011 9:34:37am

In the face of this, the notion of TSA frisking a 95-yr old down to her Depends is only good risk management. Unless we're completely BS'ing about a terrorist threat, failures should fall in the direction of paranoia.

Decatur Deb Wed, Jul 6, 2011 9:40:27am

"Measures may include interaction with passengers, in addition to the use of other screening methods such as pat-downs and the use of enhanced tools and technologies."

The Texans are just going to HATE those free socialist colonoscopies.

watching you tiny alien kittens are Wed, Jul 6, 2011 3:29:15pm

I can see the Al-Qaeda leadership laughing now about the stupid gullibility of the soft and pampered Americans.

"Next time Achmed we leak information about suitcases made of secret explosive fibers, then no one will get on an American airplane!"

Isn't this the same old tired bullshit story of explosive breast implants from two years ago retreaded and given new life? Guess what? If it is true then there is no sense worrying about it because it could not be detected by screening. You have the choice of either cowering in fear from unproven and unsubstantiated threats and refusing to fly or continuing your life.

Guess which choice the terrorists want you to make.

Bob Dillon Wed, Jul 6, 2011 11:18:29pm

re: #3 ausador

Al Qaeda Body Cavity Suicide Bomb Note

By Robert Bunker

Numerous media reports have been circulating today concerning the following threat:

The government has warned airlines that terrorists are considering surgically implanting explosives into people in an attempt to circumvent screening procedures, according to U.S. officials. (1)
Of specific concern is “…al Qaeda’s Yemeni chapter, al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula…” which has “…an interest in recruiting a surgeon to implant explosives in the body of a suicide bomber to circumvent airport detection equipment and detonate an explosive device on an aircraft.” (2)

This is not viewed as an immediate threat per the news report—“There is no intelligence pointing to a specific plot, but the U.S. shared its concerns last week with executives at domestic and international carriers, The Associated Press reported.” (3)

Earlier rounds of media reports concerning this threat and Al Qaeda’s ongoing interest concerning refining this capability have appeared over the last 18 months or so— hence today’s media reports do not appear overly unique.

The reason I’m posting this note is that I did the initial strategic forecasting of this specific terrorist TTP back in September 2006. Over the course of a few years I refined this forecast and provided it to numerous law enforcement and homeland security audiences.

In May of 2010 I wrote an OSINT (open source) report on this threat that was subsequently published in March 2011 at GroupIntel (www.groupintel.com). That paper contains a November 2010 addendum that updated the initial research and a foreword and preface by Matt Devost and John P. Sullivan respectively. The title and a link to this 55-page paper are provided below:

The Projected Al Qaeda Use of Body Cavity: Suicide Bombs Against High Value Targets

The paper represents a useful background brief on this threat and hopefully places the ongoing media reports concerning this Al Qaeda TTP within the larger context of evolving patterns of suicide bombings directed at high value targets. Of specific interest should be the forensic analysis undertaken by David Kuhn concerning the Abdullah Al-Asiri Incident that took place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on 28 August 2009. The threat of body cavity bombs is very real and should not be discounted out of hand simply due to its humorous nature or past attempts by some governments to overly minimize— even deny— the dangers this suicide bombing evolutionary development represents.

Dr. Robert J. Bunker

Notes:

1. Christi Parsons, “TSA warns of possible airline threat involving implanted bombs”. Los Angeles Times. 6 July 2011.
2. CBS/AP, “U.S.: Terrorists may surgically implant bombs”. CBS NEWS, 6 July 2011.
3. Ibid.

By Robert Bunker on July 6, 2011 5:45 PM

Bob Dillon Thu, Jul 7, 2011 8:00:25am

A confidential memo to airlines and airports from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) leaked to media sources on 6 July 2011 warned of “recent intelligence” indicating a renewed interest in the use of explosives concealed within human or animal bodies. Airport security personnel have been instructed to pay special attention to passengers who appear to have had recent surgeries, particularly on international flights.

Analyst's Comment: Alerts warning airports of the risks of implanted explosives have been issued as early as 2009, following an assassination attempt on Prince bin Nayef in Saudi Arabia. In 2010 the MI5 in the United Kingdom issued a warning (based on internet "chatter") that terrorists intended to attack targets within that country using surgically implanted explosives. That report specifically mentioned female suicide bombers carrying explosives masquerading as breast implants. If properly executed, an implanted explosive could pose a significant risk to an aircraft; however, the most immediate impact of this warning is likely to be the increased scrutiny faced by persons traveling with medical conditions, and the increased usage of a wider range of security technologies to complement the full body scanners.

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