Emergency.Blog

Indian Firebombs Cause Concerns For Other Transit Systems

February 23, 2007 1:48 PM

Firebombs Used in India Rail Attack Have U.S. Officials Worried

Richard Esposito, ABCNews, Reports:

The kerosene bombs that killed nearly 70 aboard a highly symbolic India-Pakistan train Feb. 18 have sparked new worry among U.S. law enforcement authorities, who noted the success of the cheap, lethal, easy-to-make-and-deploy terror device, ABC News has learned.

Two suitcases packed with plastic kerosene bottles, planted by exits and triggered by a low-explosive, timed black powder fuse sent tongues of intense flame licking through one rail car aboard the Friendship Express in that militant attack.

Only the fact that two others placed in another car failed to ignite prevented further casualties aboard the train put into service between India and Pakistan in 2004.

U.S. authorities and private intelligence firms have expressed concern that the devices could supplant more complex improvised high explosive devices as a terrorist bomb of choice and that they could be used on U.S. subway and commuter rail lines, according to law enforcement sources and written reports....

Continues at: http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2007/02/firebombs_used_.html