Bomb found in Lake Pontchartrain, LA???

[Preacherman]

From StrategyPage ( http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htterr/articles/20060719.aspx ):

The Bomb in Lake Pontchartrain

July 19, 2006

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is still investigating a recent incident in which a large pipe bomb was found floating in Lake Pontchartrain, north of New Orleans. The device was examined, it was definitely a floating bomb, and was detonated while still on the water. While not a large explosive device, it reminded everyone at DHS that a major terrorist threat is the destruction of one of the railroad bridges over the Mississippi river. These bridges carry a major amount of freight traffic, and the loss of even one of them (if only for a few weeks, while being repaired) would have a noticeable effect on the economy. Al Qaeda knows about this, thus counter-terrorism officials are trying to found out who made the Lake Pontchartrain bomb. That's because this device had all the hallmarks of a test, for a larger bomb capable of dropping one of the nearby Mississippi river bridges.

Most puzzling. I've not seen any reports about this in the mainstream news media - has anyone else? Why is it being hushed up? And how did it get into Lake Pontchartrain? The Mississippi River doesn't flow through the lake, so if it was intended for a bridge, as the article above suggests, it wouldn't have gone down the river into the lake. All most mysterious . . .

 

[carebear]

I remember back when making pipe bombs was just something fun (if not a bit dumb) for kids with a little basic knowledge to do.

Now the world comes to a halt for something I made in my tree fort.

 

[Eleven Mike]

Why is it being hushed up?

Because stories like that make us all go nuts and beat up Middle-Easterners, that's why.

 

[Bruce H]

Isn't puzzling at all. Where is the proof they found anything . Just more look at us we are doing a bang up job publicity.

 

[Leatherneck]

Heh. I'll bet it was just the Good Ole Boys from DHS wanting some catfish for supper.

TC

 

[Double Naught Spy]

Yes, dreaded fish terrorism, inciting fear and panic in fish for social, political, religious, or culinary change. Tragic.

It's not like they haven't been found there before...
http://nolassf.dev.advance.net/newsstory/r_device22.html

 

[Henry Bowman]

Don't any of you get it? It's a leftover CIA bomb (from when they blew the levies). I'm surprised Je$$ie Jack$son wasn't on the scene to declare it so.

 

[Sergeant Bob]

That's because this device had all the hallmarks of a test, for a larger bomb capable of dropping one of the nearby Mississippi river bridges.

Yeah, the M-80's we used to blow up had all the hallmarks of of a test for thermonuclear devices too!

 

[Rezin]

The "Causeway" runs across the lake. 24 miles (If I remember right) of bridge for cars and trucks.

 

[myusername]

I live about 10 minutes from the lake, on the north side. You hear of kids making pipe bombs and setting them off in the woods every summer. This was most likely the same type thing.

Yeah, the Lake Ponchartrain Causeway is 24 miles long, it is the longest bridge in the world.

http://www.thecauseway.com/

 

[stevelyn]

I agree with Leatherneck that it was a fishing device that got away.

A real terror plot will be much more sophisticated than using a little old pipe bomb to do questionable damage to a levy.

DHS is just playing it up to justify their existence and get a little more tribute in their pockets.

 

[HighVelocity]

So some fisherman had a dud. How exactly is this reason for panic?

 

[carpettbaggerr]

A real terror plot will be much more sophisticated than using a little old pipe bomb to do questionable damage to a levy.

Yep. I'm imagining a barge carrying 1500 tons of ANFO floating under the Golden Gate Bridge. And another beneath the George Washington Bridge at the same time.....

 

[motoman]

I could of swore I heard that the CIA used C4, so it couldn't possibly have been leftovers from them blowing the levies.

 

[PCGS65]

It's impossible for a pipe bomb to float.
Just the media at it's propagandist best again.

 

[Radagast]

Reminds me of the story " The loaded dog." http://www.dropbears.com/l/loaded_dog/index.html

I guess someone lost their fishing tackle. Wouldn't be the first time.

 

[4v50 Gary]

PVC pipe bomb or failed attempt at home-made depth charge by an evil fisherman?

 

[c_yeager]

Why is it being hushed up?

Maybe because it isnt very interesting?

 

[shell70634]

It's impossible for a pipe bomb to float

pipe bombs can float

 

[Double Naught Spy]

Yep, it just comes down to weight and displacement. How do battleships float otherwise?

 

[BIGJACK]

A pipe bomb that would float would have to be made of a large diameter, very thin walled pipe to float. Such a "bomb" would most likely go "woump" instead of "BALOOOM"

 

[carebear]

Right, we made most of ours from PVC.

We typically buried them in heavy mud or clay when we set them off. Threw lots of good muck around and left big cool craters.

Back in the day pipe bombs were for the amusement of children and the killing of fish, not weapons of "terror".

 

[ilbob]

I used to make big fire crackers out of home made black powder when I was much younger. Most just fizzled. Now and then I would get one to make a nice pop.

Fun with chemistry.

 

[DoubleTapDrew]

It was probably kept quiet because they figured most people would be intelligent enough to see through their connection to terrorists.
Give me a break! A pipe bomb is found and they think it's a test for blowing up bridges? THEY set the daggum thing off on the water themselves! It was probably somebody doing a little fishing with explosives.

These bridges carry a major amount of freight traffic, and the loss of even one of them (if only for a few weeks, while being repaired) would have a noticeable effect on the economy. Al Qaeda knows about this,

Well, they certainly do now. Good job idiots.