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| Man tried to sell bombs to al-Qaeda |
| 2005-05-24 |
| A US man who told undercover agents he has "no loyalty for America" has been charged with trying to build a bomb and sell it to an affiliate of al-Qaeda, officials in Texas have said. Ronald A Grecula, 68, of Bangor, Pennsylvania, was arrested on Friday in Houston during a meeting with undercover FBI agents, US Lawyer Michael Shelby said. At the meeting, Grecula indicated willingness to build and sell an explosive device which would be used against Americans, officials alleged in court documents. Grecula was angry with the government because he lost custody of his children, with whom he fled to Malta. He met a confidential source in prison there while awaiting extradition to the United States for the alleged kidnapping of the children, then aged 10 and three, in a custody dispute in 2002. Grecula appeared in court but did not enter a plea. A detention hearing was set for Thursday. He has been charged with attempting to provide material support and resources to a foreign terrorist organisation. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years and a fine of up to $US250,000 ($A330,000). "The very first priority of this administration and this Department of Justice is to stop another 9/11 attack and this is a success story in that effort," Shelby told a news conference. Grecula's lawyer had no comment. According to a complaint, Grecula asked the confidential source to find a client for a large bomb he was willing to build and sell. He specifically mentioned al-Qaeda, but indicated he would sell it to any such group. Negotiations continued between April and Friday, the complaint stated. Grecula told the source he could buy all the bomb components - including hydrogen chlorine - at a welding store, and that he was educated as a mechanical engineer and experimented with alternative fuels and energy. "If we had one of those in this room right now filled with hydrogen chlorine, this hotel wouldn't be here. It would be a crater in the ground," Grecula said during a meeting on Friday with the confidential source and an undercover officer who presented himself as an al-Qaeda agent. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |
| #6 Steve, Hydrogen and chorine are both gasses and would make for a poor bomb (low mass). I would be more worried about the hydrocloric acid product if it formed in an enclosed space full of people. However, oxy-acetelyne from welder's supply would be quite poweful. |
| Posted by: ed 2005-05-24 14:05 |
| #5 Isn't that lovely: being convicted and jailed for life fits so perfectly into his life's ambition. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2005-05-24 13:10 |
| #4 More on the nut here: Grecula bragged about the bomb's destructive capabilities, saying it would be more powerful than the bomb that destroyed the federal building in Oklahoma City and would level the hotel, according to court records. "In fact, I could tell you one thing about this technology, it is the most powerful energy known to man except for nuclear," Grecula said, according to court records. "It approaches nuclear in its capabilities, say nuclear bombs." Grecula compared himself to Spartacus, according to the criminal complaint. "He formed an army and he fought against Rome. He was tortured in prison, he was beat up, took his family, killed his friends, etc.," Grecula said during Friday's meeting. "So, you could say in a way I am like a Spartacus. ... So, that's it, I have no loyalty to America." |
| Posted by: Steve 2005-05-24 12:52 |
| #3 Maybe he does know his chemistry: Reaction of Chlorine with Hydrogen A mixture of Chlorine and Hydrogen explodes when exposed to sunlight to give Hydrogen Chloride. In the dark, no reaction occurs, so activation of the reaction by light energy is required. Hydrogen + Chlorine Cannon Hydrogen and chlorine gases can be mixed together without reacting. They have been placed into a test tube with a cork in it. The test tube is placed into a small cannon with a hole in the side that will allow light to pass through. A magnesium ribbon is ignited and brought close to the hole and when the light from the burning magnesium ribbon strikes the mixture, the hydrogen and chlorine react explosively, propelling the cork out of the test tube. (The test tube is placed within the brass cannon for safety; should the explosion shatter the test tube, the metal would prevent flying glass. The hydrogen and chlorine do not react when they are just mixed together, but the reaction can be initiated by a bright light.) HID - Safety Report Assessment Guide: Chlorine The primary accident that chlorine facilities can suffer is the loss of containment leading to a major toxic release of a dense gas, which disperses over a wide area. Additional accident scenarios include:- Fire - from the exothermic reaction of chlorine with metals and certain organic materials. Explosion - from accumulated nitrogen trichloride or chlorine/hydrogen mixtures. Within chlorine manufacturing facilities, explosions can occur if flammable mixtures of hydrogen/chlorine meet an ignition source. Such a situation can occur if hydrogen concentrations are allowed to rise to high levels within liquifier and absorption facilities. UV Light, electrical equipment or hot surfaces can initiate ignition. Explosions can occur if the system has the potential to accumulate quantities of nitrogen trichloride, which is a shock sensitive material. |
| Posted by: Steve 2005-05-24 09:33 |
| #2 Hydrogen Chlorine? Just another compound word in the bag of tricks of an ignorant journalist. I take liberties with the word journalist. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2005-05-24 08:53 |
| #1 hydrogen chlorine Is this like red mercury? |
| Posted by: Shipman 2005-05-24 08:47 |