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Transatlantic bomb plot dismissed

18/09/2006

The government overestimated the danger posed by the alleged plot to destroy several transatlantic airliners last month because of flawed scientific analysis, it has been claimed.

Richard Corfield, writing in today's edition of the Chemical & Industry magazine, argues that the extreme degree of difficulty which terrorists would have encountered when trying to create the type of explosive alleged to have been used while flying made the possibility of the plot's success "preposterously unlikely".

He claims that in order to prepare triacetone triperoxide (TATP) onboard an airliner, terrorists would have to remain in the lavatory from Heathrow to Greenland, evaporate off the remaining solution from the household cleaning agents and have an ice bucket at hand from first-class in order to cool the mixture as the process took place.

"Suffice to say that it is an extremely complicated and dangerous process… the whole thing is so preposterously unlikely that it can be ruled out," Mr Corfield writes.

He uses the incident to highlight what he describes as a "lack of scientific awareness" both within society as a whole and in government, and is supported by Andrew Ladds, chief executive of the Society of Chemical Industry.

"Understanding of science, and chemistry in particular, plays a significant role in guiding government reaction," Mr Ladds commented.

"This security incident highlights the need for qualified scientists to be available in sufficient numbers in the UK and the need for greater scientific understanding generally."

Following arrests made on August 9th-10th, the government raised its terror alert status to 'critical', the highest level possible, triggering the imposition of stringent security measures which caused significant disruption to flights up and down the country.

The government has received criticism from several quarters following the security measures, which forced airline passengers to travel with minimal personal possessions, but most notably from budget airline Ryanair, which is suing the government for the loss of £3 million of earnings.

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