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explosives/channel tunnel


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Travelling to France this morning, i failed on 3 occasions an explosives swab check.  My car was searched, although not very thoroughly and I was sent on my way, having explained that the wires hanging out of a box on the back seat in fact related to and were attached to a hi fi system going to my maison seconde.

I was told that the positive test related to an ingredient used in the making of explosives, and also found in WD40.

My car is less than a year old, and I havent used WD40 since the summer and I have travelled to France and been swabbed within the last 14 days.  During much of the intervening period my car has been frosted on a daily basis, and the only passenger in the meantime, travelled today.

The car hasnt been cleaned or polished, but I have used di icer, both from a spray can and in liquid form .  Any ideas as to what activated it?

kim

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The first time I had this check at the tunnel  some years ago I had no idea what was going on.  In fact I thought it was some sort of valet service.

No explaination, nuffink, so when he finished I called after him 'Oi! You missed a bit'

For some reason he didn'tseem too impressed.

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Explosives "Sniffers" vary by type and look for, amongst other trace vapours, ethylene glycol

dinitrate (EGDN): common to Dynamite, Gelignite and a few other types.

The swab taken at Eurotunnel also looks for GSR: Gun Shot Residue: thus if a passenger has been range shooting or even trap shooting, prior to travelling and left traces on steering wheel, handbrake, gearstick etc this can be picked up.

Various common substances can give False Positives: the most usual being GTN Spray, used by those suffering from Angina.

GTN is Glyceryl Trinitrate: or if you like, Nitroglycerin.

Also Pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN), the most powerful modern explosive (And difficult to detect by Sniffers) is also used as a Vasodilater, in treating angina etc.

Since this and GTN is a vapour, it gradually leaches from the container.

Trouble now is there are so many "new" explosives, such as Triacetone triperoxide (TATP), stretches sniffer technology, so the parameters are widened accordingly.

From frequent use of the tunnel, I am much more reassured by the French security, since they use professionally trained members of police aux frontières and dogs: whereas their counterparts in UK seem to be minimum wage jobsworths without much of a clue.

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Nope.

I have wound them up on many occasions: asking little girlies looking under the bonnet "What is this?" pointing at the large brake servo.

I've been tempted to afix two bright coloured curly wires to it: and perhaps secrete a loudly ticking old fashioned alarm clock under the engine!

Speedferries were the very worst.

Having had an interest years back in an electronics company involved in security work, which supplied among other things, fluoroscopes, gas sniffers (Explosives) letter scanners and so on, I watch the "Security" staff staring blank faced at screens.

On one occasion at Heathrow, en route for Luxembourg, I was carrying only a small sports holdall: in which was a large multi-meter, soldering iron, hanks of wire and tools. I opened up the bag, after it had gone through the machine and said " I really do think you ought to have examined this!"

Blank look........................................

Perhaps what they are looking for is a black sphere, with a fizzing fuse on top, labelled "Bomb"!

[IMG]http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i278/Michaeleff/arg-bbomb-ffast.gif[/IMG]

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From my experience I think that they have a good idea of what they are looking for when it passes through a scanner, as you say they are not looking for a Clouseau type bomb with a fuse or something with wires and an alarm clock, more likely the explosive material whether or not it has a detonator.

When I had my mature gap year I often had my backpack searched in the more security conscious airports and it was always the same thing they homed in on, a very small but heavy denier nylon drawstring bag (it was some promotional goody) which was stuffed with my socks and pants, I travelled light so there were not many, the bag was about the size of a hardback book.

I think it was at Auckland New Zealand where they poinetd to the screen and said "what's that"? I replied my underwear and they asked me "are they packed in tight sir?" when I said yes they said I could continue on my way.

I was tempted to reply "no I always wear big pants" or "is it the way I walk"? but have found that unless you enjoy rubber glove action it is better to refrain from humour [:-))]

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Explosives are fascinating but rare to meet an expert which reminds me of an old buddy from my time in chile called Carlos Cardoen; really helpful to the mining industry at a time when chile was subjected to international sanctions; Empresa Mantos Blancos were the first open pit operation to use in the hole millisecond delays.

http://www.photius.com/countries/chile/national_security/chile_national_security_cardoen_industries.html

The gringos have had an international warrant on him for years; of course chile like russia does not extradite its own citizens; no rendition flights there.[:)]

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[quote user="Chancer"]

From my experience I think that they have a good idea of what they are looking for when it passes through a scanner, as you say they are not looking for a Clouseau type bomb with a fuse or something with wires and an alarm clock, more likely the explosive material whether or not it has a detonator.

When I had my mature gap year I often had my backpack searched in the more security conscious airports and it was always the same thing they homed in on, a very small but heavy denier nylon drawstring bag (it was some promotional goody) which was stuffed with my socks and pants, I travelled light so there were not many, the bag was about the size of a hardback book.

I think it was at Auckland New Zealand where they poinetd to the screen and said "what's that"? I replied my underwear and they asked me "are they packed in tight sir?" when I said yes they said I could continue on my way.

I was tempted to reply "no I always wear big pants" or "is it the way I walk"? but have found that unless you enjoy rubber glove action it is better to refrain from humour [:-))]

[/quote]

Immediately after the dreadful Lockerbie disaster, Mrs Gluey and I took our son to Heathrow to catch a PanAm flight to Kennedy: he was off to the USA for the Summer.

All PanAm flight departures were quarantined on a far side of the airport and the pax taken away from the terminal in buses.

Prior to this, however, all pax luggage was passed through a hurriedly set-up fluoroscope set up in the main international departure lounge.

The operator, a large dumb-looking person, was dressed in a sort of stage uniform with "Security" emblazoned over the vest and cap; and stared at the mountains of luggage as it passed through her disinterested vision.

Not at all impressive: or re-assuring.

In the late 70s early 80s I was a frequent traveller to and from Dublin, via Heathrow.

Much more impressive!

All pax were physically isolated, quite some time before the flight, in a large locked room. Hand luggage was microscopically examined by obviously well trained staff. I had to show my  small briefcase calculator worked: and my battery shaver worked too. It was taken apart, batteries removed and carefully examined. Hold luggage, which had been processed as normal, and then left in a pile on the tarmac alongside the aircraft, had to be personally identified and authenticated before being loaded into the hold.

Security at Dublin was at least as rigorous, returning.

Airlines and airport operators, as is the way of life, robustly resisted investment in gas sniffers and correct staff training.

Same with most ferry ports.

To me, all too often "Security" is a bit of a pantomime act in most cases, I fear. It's often a token, rather than a serious effort.

Flying to a tiny Greek Island the very day after 9/11 from Gatwick was fun.

When we arrived at the airport very early (I'd been up all night at the hotel trying to find out what the hell was happening without any success whatsoever) we were greeted by the sight of hundreds of people sorting their luggage all over the floor of the departure/ check in area!

NO carry-on luggage was allowed whatsoever: no handbags: no document wallets, nothing. Just what one carried in one's pockets. Thus everything had to re-packed in hold baggage. Utter chaos.

Mrs Gluey and I will never forget one comic scene: a young male check-in clerk was bemused and blushing as a young, out-of-control mother berated him, saying "But I can't travel without my breast pump!"

Clearly the lad hadn't a wee clue what a breast-pump was or what it was used for!

[:)]

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[quote user="pachapapa"]whereas their counterparts in UK seem to be minimum wage jobsworths without much of a clue.

Are you implying that a person having followed a "neuronal rest cure" at a minor breeze block UK University would do any better?[/quote]

Where do you think Border Control (joke) finds its minimum wage jobsworths if not former polytechnics?

John

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In January 2002 we went via BA to the US (BA and the Daily Mail were doing very discounted fares - we flew in to Washington DC for a week for £125 each, back for a week and then in to Atlanta Georiga for a week for £119 each) flying in to Atlanta.

When we came back the hand luggage was screened and one of our bags taken to one side. My wife loves taking a travel kettle with us and the airport staff did not have a clue as to what it was. It had to be explained to them exactly what it was - being the US if it had been a coffee grinder that might have been recognised.

Paul

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[quote user="Iceni"]

[quote user="pachapapa"]whereas their counterparts in UK seem to be minimum wage jobsworths without much of a clue.

Are you implying that a person having followed a "neuronal rest cure" at a minor breeze block UK University would do any better?[/quote]

Where do you think Border Control (joke) finds its minimum wage jobsworths if not former polytechnics?

thought that said pyrotechnics for a minute!

John

[/quote]
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