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The Airport Bomber From Last Week That You Never Heard About
#1
https://theintercept.com/2017/10/11/terrorist-donald-trump-airport-bomber-estes-asheville/


Quote:IT’S STRANGE HOW some things really catch on and go viral and others don’t. These days, nothing quite makes a story blow up — no pun intended — like the president’s fixation with it. That’s why it’s so peculiar that what sure looks like an attempted terrorist attack was narrowly thwarted at an American airport this past Friday without so much as peep from Donald Trump about it. No tweets. No nicknames for the alleged would-be-terrorist. Nothing. You’ll see why in a minute.
On past Friday morning, at 12:39 a.m., security footage from the Asheville Regional Airport in North Carolina showed a man walking through the front doors wearing black clothing and a black cap, while carrying a bag. “Based on a review of the video, the individual walked near the entrance to the terminal, went out of sight momentarily, and was then seen departing the area without the bag,” according to the criminal complaint.



Following the Transportation Security Administration’s protocols, airport security allowed a bomb dog to sniff the bag for explosives and the dog signaled to the team the presence of dangerous materials in the bag. The concourse was then shut down. The street leading to the airport was shut down. And Asheville Regional Airport officials found themselves in a dangerous emergency situation.

What investigators eventually found in the bag was AN/FO (Ammonium Nitrate/Fuel Oil) explosives that, according to the criminal complaint, have been used “in a number of terrorist-related incidents around the world. When AN/FO comes into contact with a flame or other ignition source it explodes violently. Nails or ball bearings are often items added to the device so as to increase the devastation inflicted by the explosion.”

[Image: Michael-Christopher-Estes-Criminal-Compl...normal.gif]
In fact, sharp nails and bullets were found in this improvised explosive device. Whoever built it designed the bomb to cause horrific bodily harm. Before disarming it, authorities discovered that the alarm attached to it was scheduled to go off at 6:00 a.m. that morning just as a fresh round of travelers was scheduled to arrive at the airport.
The man who planted it, it turns out, openly admitted to authorities that he was “preparing to fight a war on U.S. soil” and that this bomb was but one part of that war.

Little Fanfare

I bet you never heard about it. I keep an eye on these types of incidents closely and I didn’t hear about it. Someone who follows me online who happens to live in Asheville sent me the story this morning — shocked that it hadn’t gotten any play at all beyond a few mentions in the local paper and some isolated pickup by a few national outlets.

As soon as I clicked on the article, it all made perfect sense.

The story didn’t go viral and Trump didn’t tweet about it because the bomb was not placed by an immigrant, or a Muslim, or a Mexican. It was placed there by a good ol’ white man, Michael Christopher Estes. Unlike the Las Vegas shooter, Stephen Paddock, whose motive is still hard to discern, Estes wanted to be very clear that his ultimate goal was to accelerate a war on American soil.

Sorry if it sounds like you’ve heard this story before. I’m as tired of writing it as you are reading it, but you know good and well that if Estes was a young Muslim — hell, if he had ever even visited a mosque in the past 25 years — that Trump would be tweeting about him right this very moment to tout how essential a Muslim ban is for American safety.

A Muslim attacker’s mugshot would become a meme across the conservative media. Mainstream American outlets would be covering the heroic bravery of those who thwarted the terrorist plot. We’d all be seeing footage of the perpetrator being walked from the police car to the jail and from the jail to the court room. Out loud, people would talk and tweet about the man’s family and friends and networks — wondering where he was radicalized, and if anyone else feels the way he does.
In this case, though? Crickets. We hear nothing at all — almost exclusively because the man who planted an improvised explosive device, just like ones that have been used to murder and maim people all over the world, was white. His guilt starts and stops with him. His actions aren’t an indictment of his whole faith, political outlook, and race. White people aren’t, thanks to Estes, suddenly labeled terrorists or seen as a threat to American safety in the way that would almost certainly happen had it been anybody other than a white man.

This isn’t me calling for all of those things that happen to Muslims and immigrants every single day to now happen to Estes and white people all over the country. It’s me saying that the fundamentally bigoted double standard by which it is done to virtually everyone except for Michael Christopher Estes and other white men has to stop.



https://www.citizen-times.com/story/news/local/2017/10/10/bomb-airport-ammonium-nitrate-fuel-oil-mix-suspect-make-first-appearance/749394001/


Quote:The man authorities say left an explosive device at Asheville Regional Airport on Friday morning that contained ammonium nitrate and fuel oil said he was preparing to "fight a war on U.S. soil," according to a criminal complaint filed in federal court.

[Image: 636432493977643917-michael-christopher-estes.JPG]



The suspect, Michael Christopher Estes, had his first appearance in federal court Tuesday morning. He is charged with attempted malicious use of explosive materials and unlawful possession of explosive materials in an airport.

He waived his right to a preliminary hearing, answering several of the judges questions with a polite, "Yes, sir." Near the end of the proceeding, Estes, bald and wearing a brown prison jumpsuit, smiled and shook the hand of his attorney, Fredilyn Sison, an assistant federal public defender.


The federal judge found that Estes is indigent and assigned him an attorney for upcoming proceedings. Sison said that would likely be her.


The criminal complaint, filed by FBI agent James A. Anderson and read in court, states that airport police officers found "what appeared to be an improvised explosive device" early Friday morning outside the airport terminal. 


After being taken into custody at the Asheville Police Department, Estes waived his rights and agreed to answer questions, the complaint states. Estes "admitted that he placed the explosive device at the Asheville Airport," the complaint states. "He also explained that he bought the precursor materials at Walmart and Lowe's" in Arden.

"Estes claimed that he was getting ready to 'fight a war on U.S. soil,' but also claimed that he did not actually set the alarm clock," the complaint states. 

The complaint also states that, "Estes described how he created the device using ammonium nitrate and the Sterno as a fuel source and then rigged the alarm clock to strike the matches and cause the flame necessary to trigger the device. Estes admitted to putting the nails in the device as well."

On Friday, a TSA officer tested the substance in the device and it was positive for ammonium nitrate, a "widely used and regulated bulk industrial explosive," the complaint states. A bomb dog approached the device and "signaled," indicating "the presence of an explosive material.

"The device at the airport consisted of a Mason type jar with a lid that was locked down by an incorporated locking device," the complaint states. "There were prills -- pellets or solid globules of a substance formed by the congealing of a liquid during processing -- inside the jar and two plastic cups containing an unknown liquid substance, believed to be the fuel source," the complaint states. "There were pieces of cold compress packs inside the jar."


Once ammonium nitrate forms into prills, it can absorb the fuel oil needed for an explosion, the complaint states.


"The jar was filled with steel wool that was then wrapped around nails and one shotgun cartridge," the complaint states, noting that it was a 410 gauge. "There was an alarm clock taped to the outside of the jar. There was then a grouping of matches taped to the striker arm positioned between the bells, and the bells were removed."


The clock was set to go off at 6:00.


Video footage from the airport showed an individual walking onto airport grounds at 12:39 a.m. on Oct. 6. He was wearing black clothing and a black cap and carrying a bag.


"Based on a review of the video, the individual walked near the entrance to the terminal, went out of sight momentarily, and was then seen departing the area without the bag," the complaint states.


An airport maintenance worker said a man had come out of a wooded area across the street and to the east of the airport. Investigators found a bag in the woods with Gorilla Tape, consistent with the tape used in the device, as well as Sterno Firestar Gel, believed to be the likely fuel source for the explosive device, the complaint states.


There was also a bag containing shotgun shells.


Investigators went to the Walmart store on Airport Road, where they learned a person had bought Gorilla tape, Sterno Firestarter Gel, a glass Mason type jar, matches, cold compress packs, and an alarm clock on Oct. 3. At the Lowe's store off Airport Road, investigators learned a person had bought Kobalt gloves that were "very similar to those observed in the tool bag found in the wooded area."


The backpack bag found in the woods apparently had been bought at REI in Biltmore Park, and the buyer used a membership number assigned to Michael C. Estes. Estes admitted that the bought the backpack at REI, the complaint states.


Officers arrested Estes, 46, on Airport Road on Saturday, after several people reported seeing him nearby. His last known address was in Asheville.

[Image: 636429013610424914-Person-of-Interest.png]
Michael Christopher Estes faces charges related to a device left at Asheville Regional Airport. (Photo: Asheville Police Department)

No one was injured in the Friday incident. The airport's Terminal Drive and part of a terminal were closed for about two hours.

In the complaint, investigators noted that the type of device found at the airport, called "AN/FO" explosives, has been used "in a number of terrorist-related incidents around the world in the past.


"When AN/FO comes into contact with a flame or other ignition source it explodes violently," the complaint states. "Shrapnel or nails or ball bearings are often items added to the device so as to increase the devastation inflicted by the explosion."


Estes told investigators he "staged" in the woods near the airport a couple of days before placing the device at the airport.
[Image: giphy.gif]
Your anger and ego will always reveal your true self.
#2
I actually did read something on him.

Wanna know why it didn't go viral and get a lot of news coverage? Had nothing to do with him not being a Muslim. It had to do with four simple words... "No one was injured."

The news peddles death. Hence why the non-Muslim non-Mexican white guy in Vegas got a ton of coverage. The news is a fairly awful thing these days.


- - - - - - - - - - -
PS- Are you really going to continue this trend where all you do is post articles with ZERO original contribution or thoughts from you? Because right now all you're doing is being a selective news ticker.
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#3
(10-12-2017, 12:20 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: I actually did read something on him.

Wanna know why it didn't go viral and get a lot of news coverage? Had nothing to do with him not being a Muslim. It had to do with four simple words... "No one was injured."

The news peddles death. Hence why the non-Muslim non-Mexican white guy in Vegas got a ton of coverage. The news is a fairly awful thing these days.


- - - - - - - - - - -
PS- Are you really going to continue this trend where all you do is post articles with ZERO original contribution or thoughts from you? Because right now all you're doing is being a selective news ticker.

I shared it because *I* had not heard about it...I figured others had not either and there was not thread about it.  

PS: Sometimes I comment on the OP.  Sometimes I comment later.  Sometimes I'm just curious what other think so I don't say anything at all.

Thanks!
[Image: giphy.gif]
Your anger and ego will always reveal your true self.
#4
(10-12-2017, 12:20 PM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: I actually did read something on him.

Wanna know why it didn't go viral and get a lot of news coverage? Had nothing to do with him not being a Muslim. It had to do with four simple words... "No one was injured."

The news peddles death. Hence why the non-Muslim non-Mexican white guy in Vegas got a ton of coverage. The news is a fairly awful thing these days.


- - - - - - - - - - -
PS- Are you really going to continue this trend where all you do is post articles with ZERO original contribution or thoughts from you? Because right now all you're doing is being a selective news ticker.

Disagree, no one was injured by the shoe bomber either.
#5
(10-12-2017, 12:41 PM)Au165 Wrote: Disagree, no one was injured by the shoe bomber either.

As a survivor of the Bowling Green Massacre, I remember there was a lot of news on those guys at the time, even though none of us were killed.
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#6
(10-12-2017, 12:49 PM)Benton Wrote: As a survivor of the Bowling Green Massacre, I remember there was a lot of news on those guys at the time, even though none of us were killed.

Haha, well played. Yea, I can understand that the media for the most part may not even know about it because most just report on what others report today. My issue is that the President is briefed on things like this and could mention it, but I do think it doesn't help his agenda so he passes on it.
#7
I look at multiple news sites multiple times a day. Crazy i never saw this story.

Wonder what kind of war he wanted?
#8
(10-12-2017, 12:49 PM)Benton Wrote: As a survivor of the Bowling Green Massacre, I remember there was a lot of news on those guys at the time, even though none of us were killed.

So much dumb shit has come out of this administration that I completely forgot about that one, lol.


As per the OP, I think a lot of the coverage has to do with how low key it was and the fact that the FBI acted immediately and was quite successful without making a scene. We know Trump won't tweet about this just, but I don't know if the media "ignoring" it has to do with race.
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#9
(10-12-2017, 02:44 PM)BmorePat87 Wrote: So much dumb shit has come out of this administration that I completely forgot about that one, lol.


As per the OP, I think a lot of the coverage has to do with how low key it was and the fact that the FBI acted immediately and was quite successful without making a scene. We know Trump won't tweet about this just, but I don't know if the media "ignoring" it has to do with race.

I kind of thought that Trump would tweet because it shows how safe he personally is keeping the forgotten citizens of the US.  Mellow
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Your anger and ego will always reveal your true self.
#10
You can blame Muslims or Mexicans or even white guys all you want, but the dirty little secret is it's always the bambers.
“History teaches that grave threats to liberty often come in times of urgency, when constitutional rights seem too extravagant to endure.”-Thurgood Marshall

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#11
(10-12-2017, 02:54 PM)michaelsean Wrote: You can blame Muslims or Mexicans or even white guys all you want, but the dirty little secret is it's always the bambers.

Those crazy b*****ds just elected that pistol wavin' fool.
I'm gonna break every record they've got. I'm tellin' you right now. I don't know how I'm gonna do it, but it's goin' to get done.

- Ja'Marr Chase 
  April 2021
#12
(10-12-2017, 02:28 PM)NATI BENGALS Wrote: I look at multiple news sites multiple times a day. Crazy i never saw this story.

Wonder what kind of war he wanted?

I'll take wild stab, and guess it wasn't a very noble cause. I'm thinking something racially or religiously motivated, or the gubment taking guns, or poisoning the food and water supply... Something along those lines.
I'm gonna break every record they've got. I'm tellin' you right now. I don't know how I'm gonna do it, but it's goin' to get done.

- Ja'Marr Chase 
  April 2021
#13
(10-12-2017, 02:54 PM)michaelsean Wrote: You can blame Muslims or Mexicans or even white guys all you want, but the dirty little secret is it's always the bambers.

Bamber?

I googled the guy. Only thing of interest is he claims to be an American Indian. So, I guess if that holds up, we've got a whole new racial issue.
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#14
(10-12-2017, 03:55 PM)Benton Wrote: Bamber?

I googled the guy. Only thing of interest is he claims to be an American Indian. So, I guess if that holds up, we've got a whole new racial issue.

I think it's a reference to the misspelling of Bomber in the thread title. 
#15
(10-12-2017, 04:25 PM)Au165 Wrote: I think it's a reference to the misspelling of Bomber in the thread title. 

It'd be easier if someone just told me! Hilarious

I copied the title of the article and it was in all caps...so I retyped it and misspelled a word.

Damned if you do...damned if you don't!   Smirk
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Your anger and ego will always reveal your true self.
#16
(10-12-2017, 04:30 PM)GMDino Wrote: It'd be easier if someone just told me! Hilarious

I copied the title of the article and it was in all caps...so I retyped it and misspelled a word.

Damned if you do...damned if you don't!   Smirk

Now I'm going to look stupid.  

(If someone can go ahead an post a "Walked into that one" gif following the response to this post, that would be great)
“History teaches that grave threats to liberty often come in times of urgency, when constitutional rights seem too extravagant to endure.”-Thurgood Marshall

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#17
(10-12-2017, 04:35 PM)michaelsean Wrote: Now I'm going to look stupid.  

(If someone can go ahead an post a "Walked into that one" gif following the response to this post, that would be great)

:andy:
[Image: giphy.gif]
Your anger and ego will always reveal your true self.
#18
I'd be curious to know the motive (why start a war on American soil). Perhaps once that is established the story will build.

http://www.snopes.com/asheville-airport-bomb-attempted/

It does appear that those that tried to chalk it up to "good ol' boy" may have been a bit premature.
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