The Domestic IED

It seems cruel yet appropriate that I’m writing about the Pentagon warning about the risk of domestic improvised explosive devices (IED’s) on a day when police in Colorado are trying to break in to the bobby trapped apartment of America’s latest mass murderer.

I think the Pentagon is spot on about the dangers of IEDs domestically because they worked so well against U.S. troops in Afghanistan and Iraq.

 If they can work so well in the middle of a warzone, why can’t they be used by some domestic lone wolf against armed forces and first responders domestically?

IED’s aren’t something that requires a high degree of technical sophistication or intellect. I venture to say that one could make a crude device out of things that can be bought at Home Depot.

The ease of procurement coupled with the growing fury against institutions representing government make IED’s perhaps the ideal weapon of the disaffected.

Phoenix Flashlight Bomber

On the blog today, we are going to talk a little terrorism.

Police in the Phoenix area are investigating several incidents involving flashlight bombs. These “flashlight bombs” are basically explosive devices placed inside flashlight covers and then left on the ground. When an unsuspecting person picks up the flashlight and turns it on, there’s an explosion.

 Though no one has been seriously injured, these devices have the potential to cause serious damage.


These flashlight bombs are representative of both new terrorism and so called lone wolf terrorism.

Here, a single man can rig a common household object with an explosive device without a tremendous financial cost or the need for a large group of people.

There’s been so much focus on large scale terrorist attacks like 9-11 or the underwear bomber. A terrorist attack doesn't have to be 9-11 to be effective. 

 If we’re ever going to meaningful combat terrorism, we must not lose sight of smaller scale operations like the flashlight bomber or else we will ultimately lose the battle against terrorism.

Capitol Bomb Plot

On Friday, counter terrorism officials arrested a twenty six year Moroccan national on his way to commit a suicide bombing at the U.S. Capitol Building.

This is the latest attempted lone wolf terrorist attack on American soil. Most terrorist experts indicate that the most likely avenue for a terrorist attack on American soil is not the coordinated large scale mass episode like what occurred on September 11^th but rather a lone wolf attack.

What made this attempt different from others, is that El Khalifi apparently intended to commit a suicide bombing because he thought America’s war on terrorism is a war on the Islamic faith.

Suicide bombings on American soil are a rare phenomenon. Most terrorist attacks on U.S. soil have been in the mold of lone wolf. I’m not sure whether its’ a difference between Christian and Islamic terrorists or a difference between the developed and developing world.

Most lone wolf terrorists opt for a method of terror that is non lethal to themselves like the OKC bombers, while Islamic terrorists have opted for suicidal methods to make their point. This case will be interesting to follow.

Lone Wolf in Belguim

Hasn’t been the greatest of ninety day periods for the Belguim people. After they formed a government after a year and a half of uncertainty, a lone gunmen went on the attack in the industrial city of Liege with a grenade and several guns killing four and injuring a hundred.

 The Belgium government was very quick to say that the attack was not related to any coordinated terrorist organization and was apparently just a disturbed individual who decided to go on a shooting spree in the busy shopping district of Liege.

This is part of a disturbing pattern of lone wolf type attacks committed by the criminal element, or people who have been overstressed by the poor economic conditions and the stress of family and personal lives. Many of these are coming together to create mass shootings like the unfortunate incident that occurred in Belgium last month.

I’m very much afraid that with the sluggish global economy and the cuts that are occuring within mental health services at the state and federal level, that we are only providing the ammunition for further mass shootings.

Ricin Plot in Georgia

This stuff really makes one wonder if the United States hasn’t totally lost its’ collective mind. Four suspected members of a Georgia Militia were arrested by the FBI for plotting to purchase explosives and produce the deadly toxin Ricin. Their goal was to attack government officials and highly populated urban areas.

One of the men was quoted as saying “"When it comes time to saving the Constitution, that means some people gotta die,". The plot apparently involved spreading ricin on roads and having it dispersed by vehicles traveling along selected routes. Further, the group also talked about blowing up entire buildings like Timothy McVeigh did in 1995.

This is the more likely terrorist threat facing the United States these days, and I’m very much afraid that the economy isn’t helping things. As people become more disillusioned and struggle to feed their families, without prospects for gainful employment, they may become susceptible to the message of terrorists.

The lone wolf is a deadly animal because he can strike any time, any place. In theory, no small town or big city is safe. It doesn’t take much sophistication to carry out a terrorist attack unfortunately.