
The Doomsday Scam - r721
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/22/magazine/the-doomsday-scam.html
======
mikeash
So here's an interesting question: if you sell fake weapons (or weapons
materials) to a terrorist organization as part of a scam, is it illegal?

Normally, selling weapons to terrorists would be illegal. But these aren't
_actually_ weapons.

And normally, scamming people would be illegal. But you're scamming terrorists
trying to carry out an illegal transaction.

I'm sure the answer is, yes, it's illegal. But it's an odd situation and I'm
not quite clear as to how it works out.

~~~
talmand
It would be fraud, unless the seller believed that it was actually a weapon
because intent comes into play. But the victim would have to come forward to
file a complaint with a legal authority. Which is possible because there are
examples of people going to police after being scammed in a drug deal.

I wish it would happen, it would make for an entertaining case.

~~~
steve-howard
The last thing I'd be afraid of after selling fake weapons to a brutal
terrorist regime would be going to prison for fraud.

~~~
TeMPOraL
I can sort-of imagine the headline. "Man prevented bombings by scamming
terrorists, went to jail for tax evasion."

------
omginternets
Does Daesh really not have wikipedia? This story strikes me as being
bullshitty seeing as this article exists:
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_mercury](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_mercury)

~~~
cozzyd
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolution](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolution)
this article exists too.

I wonder what
[https://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/زئبق_أحمر](https://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/زئبق_أحمر)
says

~~~
the_af
Google translate helps see it says mostly the same as the English-language
article, albeit with less detail.

The Google-translated Arabic language version of the Evolution article also
seems reasonable (though I didn't read it in detail, so it may contain errors
or oversimplifications). I wonder where do most Arabic language wiki editors
come from.

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nbarbettini
A homeopathic nuke. Clearly.

~~~
crpatino
Funny! According to the Law of the Similars, a micro doze of some agent
counters whatever ill that would result from a macro doze of the same agent.
So a homeopathic nuke would be the cure for radiation poisoning!!!

------
kelvin0
This is almost as awesome as the fake bomb detector ... Which some states
actually purchased!
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ADE_651](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ADE_651)

~~~
vox_mollis
The reported poor performance of both red mercury nuclear devices and the ADE
651 are due to the integrators' failure to power them with the output of a
properly-calibrated Turboencabulator.

Ref:
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turboencabulator](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turboencabulator)
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXJKdh1KZ0w](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXJKdh1KZ0w)

~~~
kelvin0
I wish I could upvote this! :)

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mfoy_
I wonder if Western sources discrediting it doesn't actually just lend
credence to it. From Daesh's POV it's like "Hah! Nice propaganda attempt
America! But we know the true power of Red Mercury!"

~~~
talmand
But what to believe and what to ignore? Because that documentary called "Star
Trek" showed us the true potential of red mercury. They clearly tried to
disguise it's true nature by calling it "Red Matter", but we can see through
such obvious lies.

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clock_tower
It could be worse, according to the article: they could be going after "Blood
of the Slaves", the type of mercury that lets you summon genies.

~~~
zeveb
Yeah, as soon as I saw that I wondered how many poor slaves are being bled to
death, or have had intravenous injections of mercury, or have been otherwise
abused chasing after the 'Blood of the Slaves.'

~~~
clock_tower
I'm desperately hoping that, despite the name, "Blood of the Slaves" mercury
isn't actually produced from slaves. ISIS injecting slaves with mercury to
produce magic metal that summons genies would be a new low -- although I
wouldn't put it past them to do it.

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bitwize
Is this the inspiration for the planet-imploding "red matter" from Star Trek
(2009 film)?

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CamperBob2

       The substance was so valuable that dishonest traders, 
       al-Safi said, often trafficked in fake red mercury. ‘‘In 
       my village at least 15 people trade in it,’’ he said. 
       ‘‘They buy normal mercury, and they color it. They use
       red lipstick and put a little on a spoon and heat the 
       spoon...
    

I think I see the problem.

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Shivetya
I am not worried about a nuclear weapon, dirty bomb. The likely attack will be
chemical if they deviate outside of guns and explosives. It was proven in
Japan so that direction isn't unlikely.

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zeveb
Sounds like the fan death[1] of the arms trade…

[1]
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fan_death](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fan_death)

