
U.S. customs release image of 'mock IED' that caused hours of delays at Pearson - refurb
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/joseph-galaska-ied-1.4072824
======
x1798DE
Sure, that's going to cause anyone to do a double take - this thing is
obviously a cartoonish imitation of a bomb. What's amazing to me, though, is
that after they realized it wasn't a bomb, they still _bragged about it on
Twitter_ as their "catch of the day". That's kinda like if you were fishing
and posted the biggest boot you reeled in that day.

~~~
dogma1138
No it doesn't look cartoonish, here is an example of a training IED for bomb
disposal units [http://www.tacticalelectronics.com/wp-
content/uploads/2014/1...](http://www.tacticalelectronics.com/wp-
content/uploads/2014/12/Training-Aid.png)

Not all IEDs are tied to an unexploded artillery shell this isn't the hurt
locker.

An IED needs 4 primary components a trigger which is either timed or a
mechanical switch, a power supply, a detonator and the main explosive.

Looking at the picture is see a logic board which can contain a timer(and
potentially another triggering sensor e.g that block box in the upper right
corner of the board), a power supply, large capacitors needed for the high
voltage to initiate an electro sensitive detonator and something that looks
like a main explosive package.

So to me it looks like an IED.

~~~
stouset
Consider that they're openly bragging about something that a) anyone would
obviously flag as suspicious (e.g., not particularly impressive to catch) and
b) wasn't even a real threat (so wasted multiple hours of hundreds of people
at a large cost).

What _really_ would have been impressive and worth bragging about would be a
quick determination that the device was harmless and letting the flight
continue uninterrupted.

~~~
dogma1138
Because there are procedures. Why was this device brought on the flight? Was
it to create a panic? Was it a distraction? Are there any more devices? These
things are not cleared up in 10 min. There are also regulations that require
deboarding and holding off air operations when a possible threat is
discovered. The only non professional behavior here is that they went on
freaking twitter. The fact that the TSA can post confiscated items on twitter
like they are some treasure hunting club is still mind boggling to me.

~~~
stouset
I'm not saying they didn't do what they thought they had to. I'm saying making
those determinations quickly and without an interruption to the flight would
be truly worth bragging about. Flagging a non-explosive and interrupting a
flight for several hours might be playing it by the book, but it's not
something to brag over.

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StringyBob
A quick google and I found this pic of the same circuit board in a more normal
use: [http://imgur.com/faoK6LK](http://imgur.com/faoK6LK)

It's a low quality desktop PC power supply, with a corner (where the fuse is)
covered up and the heat sinks removed.

The comment about an alarm clock is interesting. I guess there could be
someone recycling old circuit boards to make these. Where's the clock? I'm
guessing the LCD display is either the clock or more likely an evidence label?

(rehosting pic from a forum
[http://forums.aria.co.uk/showthread.php/41729-The-
importance...](http://forums.aria.co.uk/showthread.php/41729-The-importance-
of-never-using-a-generic-PSU) \- ironically the picture is of a psu that 'blew
up' as in has a bad component!)

------
justboxing
> Galaska's wife, Maria Silva, said the object is a novelty alarm clock
> purchased while on vacation in Brazil.

The article mentions nothing about whether the Customs Officials verified the
wife's story.

If it was indeed a tourist trinket, why was Mr Galaska taken into custody and
charged with "mischief"? Is that even legal??

> Galaska appeared in court Friday handcuffed and wearing a leather jacket and
> a plaid shirt. As a condition of his bail, he cannot possess weapons or any
> explosive substances.

Source: [http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/joseph-galaska-
court-p...](http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/joseph-galaska-court-
pearson-1.4060703)

~~~
dogma1138
People need to use common sense, yes they can still and in all honesty should
be charged with a fine.

It's like bringing a hand granade lighter or an air soft pistol throguh
security you need to be a special kind of stupid to do.

------
throwaway2016a
It is easy to overlook in the photo but it also has several cardboard tubes in
the back that could conceivably be explosives. I was going into this article
prepared to be outrages but this is clearly an intentionally designed to look
like an explosive.

The fact is was designed to look like an explosive as a "novelty" is
secondary.

However, eight hours does seem excessive.

------
Slaul
Even though its just an alarm clock, I cannot imagine the thought process (or
lack thereof) in trying to fly with that.

------
3pt14159
Wow. Pearson is the absolute worst Canadian airport for this to happen to.
It's often fast to get through security, but when it is slow, it is by far the
slowest to get through security. The delays were probably felt until the end
of the day.

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slededit
Normally these "IEDs" are basically anything with a large capacitor. But that
looks like something intentionally designed to deceive complete with fake
sticks of TNT.

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korethr
That thing looks like it began it's life as a power supply.

------
justinsaccount
> officials have released an image of an object found in the suitcase of an
> American man as he attempted to board a flight from Toronto to Chicago

> Galaska's wife, Maria Silva, said the object is a novelty alarm clock
> purchased while on vacation in Brazil.

How did they get it from Brazil to Toronto !?

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err4nt
What an unbelievably ill-informed decision. I know "Never attribute to malice
what can be attributed to incompetence" and all that, but it's absolutely
incredible that an adult try do this and not anticipate the consequences.

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lazzlazzlazz
How could it possibly take so long to confirm that this was not an explosive?

I'm asking that sincerely.

~~~
larrik
The process is slow because if it IS an explosive, you might get blown up
trying to verify that fact.

~~~
lazzlazzlazz
This is obvious, and I'm looking for the steps in between.

~~~
khedoros1
I'd speculate: Gathering the other passengers' luggage and belongings,
identifying the other passengers on the plane, arranging for transportation,
arranging for screening at the other location, in-depth searches of their
luggage and other belongings at that location, getting them back to the
airport, setting up another flight to their destination (the plane might have
left to ensure that it reached later flight connections that it was scheduled
for).

Separately, clearing the "danger zone", setting up security to keep people
away, calling in the bomb unit, use of extraordinary care in testing the
device, and so on.

But those things sound obvious to me, so maybe you were thinking of something
else?

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Faaak
I guess a simple PC power supply can look like a bomb given enough curly
wires.

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rubatuga
This rings true to the spirit of Ahmed Mohamed

