Readily Available Chemicals Could Pose Terror Risk

Chemicals readily available at beauty-supply stores, pool supply shops, DIY home stores and other venues can be combined to produce explosives strong enough to knock down the structural support of a building, according to experts. My guess is that we will see increased (and needed) regulation of some of the more dangerous products. Although it’s difficult and extremely dangerous to manufacture explosive devices from these compounds, it poses significant risk.

Some may disagree, but if we’re going to regulate cold and allergy medications due to the dangers, how much more so should we regulate the chemicals used to produce TATP. TATP is a powerful explosive and used often by terrorists around the world. A very, very small amount (less than 1/60th of an ounce ), can cause significant damage. I would prefer to have oversight on the sale of these chemicals now, rather than at a time when we look back and ask why we didn’t do this.

Neal Langerman, chief executive officer of Advanced Chemical Safety, a consulting company in San Diego told the Wall Street Journal, “It takes specialized equipment, it takes bench chemistry skill well beyond high school to make this stuff without blowing your head off.”

Najibullah Zazi, the alleged terror suspect arrested last week in Denver is suspected to have made purchases with at least three unnamed associates in Colorado and had a recipe for triacetone triperoxide, an explosive known as TATP and made from hydrogen peroxide, acetone and a strong acid, such as hydrochloric acid.

Depending on the placement of a bomb, the ingredients and volumes allegedly purchased by Mr. Zazi could have made enough TATP “to blow out and bring down the structural support of a building,” said M. Bonner Denton, a chemistry professor at the University of Arizona.

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Still, experts said it would be very difficult to make TATP, especially from the kind of weaker chemicals sold at beauty supply stores. The process requires cooking the chemicals to increase concentration levels. Prosecutors said this week FBI technicians found acetone residues in the vent above the stove-top in an Aurora hotel suite rented by Mr. Zazi.

via Read WSJ Article.