Bergen: Similar explosive on plane used in Saudi attack
Peter Bergen | BIO
CNN National Security Analyst
On August 28, the Saudi Arabian deputy minister of interior, Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, survived a bombing attack launched by an al Qaeda cell based in Yemen, Saudi Arabia's southern neighbor.
Abdullah Hassan al Asiri, the would-be assassin, a Saudi who had fled to Yemen, posed as a militant willing to surrender personally to Prince Nayef.
Because he leads Saudi Arabia's counterterrorism efforts against al Qaeda, the prince is a key target for the terrorist group.
Al Asiri concealed the bomb, made of PETN, in his underwear, according to the official Saudi investigation.
PETN is a plastic explosive that is not picked up by metal detectors - through which the would-be assassin had to pass before he was allowed to meet with the prince.
Saudi officials believe that the prince's assailant exploded the 100-gram device using a detonator with a chemical fuse, which would also not be detected by a metal detector.
|
|
Filed under: 360° Radar • Peter Bergen • Terrorism |
About this Show:
Anderson Cooper goes beyond the headlines to tell stories from many points of view, so you can make up your own mind about the news. Tune in weeknights at 8 and 10 ET on CNN.
Questions or comments? Send an email
Want to know more? Go behind the scenes with AC361°
Subscribe to the podcast
On Twitter
Go behind the scenes: AC361°
Gumby celebrates Isha Sesay's birthday
Anderson Cooper's birthday surprise
You asked, Anderson answersForeman's Letters to the President
Popular Posts
Search the AC360 blog
Our Intelligence Agencies KNOW of every gas, explosive, chemical, known to man, since we, the U.S. created most of these devilish WMD's!
Our government needs to get their technology into the 21st Century, share information with every agency and do everything possible to thwart the terrorists!
Not every terrorist will be on the "watch list" we can all bet, that they know about our "watch list" and will send unknown people to attack!
We must drop our fears and address security, the evidence in there like DNA.