Some of the technical facts of the gels/liquids threat is beginning to emerge in the U.K. trial of the eight jihadis:
Two thousand passengers would have died in the plot by eight fanatics working “in the name of Islam”, the jury was told.
It could have involved up to 18 suicide bombers. And they were almost ready to strike.
…Liquid explosives disguised with food colouring and mouthwash would be smuggled past security and on to the flights.
There they would be hooked up to homemade detonators powered by tiny camera batteries and set off to cause mid-air carnage, the court heard.
After the alleged plot was uncovered, in August 2006, the authorities banned passengers from carrying most liquids on board aircraft.
The main ingredient of the homemade bombs was said to be hydrogen peroxide, commonly used as hair bleach and easily available on the high street, mixed with other chemicals which the Daily Mail is not naming.
The plan was to drill small holes in the bottom of 500ml plastic bottles of Oasis and Lucozade and pour away the drinks, the jury heard.
Then the conspirators would use a syringe to inject the ready-mixed explosive liquid into the bottles. Prosecutor Peter Wright QC said the hole would be closed with glue to give the appearance of a “factory sealed” bottle.
Once on board the aircraft, the improvised bombs would be hooked up to a detonator disguised as a standard AA 1.5-volt battery, containing a substance known as HMTD - produced from a mixture of household and commercial ingredients which are freely available.
The detonator would be ignited using metal wire, a small bulb or the flash from a disposal camera, said Mr Wright.
He said improvised bombs using similar ingredients had been used in other terrorist attacks.
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