Submitted by dudelookslikeachimp, Feb 14, 2008 03:25

Using pressurized chlorine to make explosives is not the preferred way. In making backyard explosives terrorist prefer dry and liquid chemicals that can be mixed in open barrels. And chlorine can be extracted from chlorox. Lets see 20 people (number of 911 flyers) making 30 separate purchases per day.... Ever get the feeling that government planners assume terrorists are stupid and impatient or must otherwise do things the government way?

Oh you can add a nasty after effect by blowing up the Chlorine tank. But the explosion does the real nasty work. And then again its easier to use someone else's tank in the USA. Especially if you want lethal effects.Those 100 pound containers are mainly only going to effect people already killed or severely injured by the explosion. For everyone else the chlorine is only an severe irritant slowly dispersing over a couple blocks, one only stupid or unlucky people won't be able to outrun before serious permanent injury results.

So what a terrorist would do is make a bomb and then FIND a nice big tanker truck or rail car or industry storage tank. Now you put your explosive on something big enough to truly flood a LARGE area with chlorine quickly. Of course if you hijack you only got 2-5 minutes to race to a specific target. But then you are a suicide bomber.

Yes it might be good to outlaw the use and transport of especially hazardous bulk chemicals in populous areas. On the other hand lets think about the inconvenience of losing that corner gas station....

Corner gas station not that hazardous? Well what happens when someone drops a few home oxygen cylinders (stolen by observing deliveries) into the storage tank with an explosive? I bet a local volcano.

See you can't make yourself safe from death or life if someone is determined. Not unless you want a police state that makes Stalin's USSR look like anarchy and a similar level of life since nothing gets done due to all the red tape. And oh wait! Now the state poses all the risks to you that you ask it to protect you from.

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