Sunday, May 14, 2006

Sometimes a Bomb is Just a Bomb

... or maybe not. At least not in Brisbane, Australia (emphasis mine) :
BRISBANE, Australia, May 10 (UPI) -- Australian police have arrested a Brisbane high school teacher on charges of using a fake ID to buy 117 pounds of the explosive Powergel. Police said they found four bombs containing roofing nails and razor blades Tuesday night at the home of the suspect, John Howard Amundsen. Amundsen, 40, had allegedly built 10 remote detonators at the home he shares with his elderly mother.

Queensland Police and Australian Federal Police said Amundsen had a collection of books on al-Qaida, Osama bin Laden and Nazis. Investigators said they would examine computers from Amundsen's home and office at Ferny Grove High School to see if they could learn more about his motives, and determine whether he should face charges under Australia's anti-terrorist laws, the newspaper said.

Police said Amundsen claimed he bought the explosives to blow up trees and to use in stunts for a movie. He formerly worked in television as a freelance cameraman and was a reservist for the Australian Defense Force. Police did not rule out the possibility Amundsen was planning a terrorist attack, but investigators had not identified a target, the newspaper said.
Movie stunts and tree removal? I suppose that explains why the four bombs they found contained nails and razor blades. They certainly weren't intended for use to injure and maim people in, let's say, a pizza shop or some form of public transportation.