This Malaysian airline story is getting surreal

[Riccardo]

Getting scarier

Now you have to wonder how easily could this thing be used as a weapon? If they load a nuke in it could they fly it to a US city spoofing another plane?

[IronEagle]

Now you have to wonder how easily could this thing be used as a weapon? If they load a nuke in it could they fly it to a US city spoofing another plane?

Probably not as easy as you think. If the plane is really stolen, you can guarantee the military will be on the lookout for it. And if you have access to a nuke there are a lot of less conspicuous ways to get it into a city. It's great fodder for the paranoid, though.

[The Duck]

Now you have to wonder how easily could this thing be used as a weapon? If they load a nuke in it could they fly it to a US city spoofing another plane?

If anything of the sort is underway, it's been meticulously planned and plotted for years, probably a decade. This could be el Shukrijumah's masterpiece. He's been the most dangerous man in the world since Mughniyah died, IMO. They call him Jafar the Pilot. He was OBL's hand-picked "nuclear 9/11" architect.

And the OBL raid anniversary is right around the corner.

Interesting times.

[IronEagle]

If anything of the sort is underway, it's been meticulously planned and plotted for years, probably a decade. This could be el Shukrijumah's masterpiece. He's been the most dangerous man in the world since Mughniyah died, IMO. They call him Jafar the Pilot. He was OBL's hand-picked "nuclear 9/11" architect.

And the OBL raid anniversary is right around the corner.

Interesting times.

Why the fuck wouldn't they just BUY a plane to fly a nuke in if they wanted to do that? If you have access to the financial resources necessary to acquire a nuke, you would have access to the resources necessary to acquire a plane.

It's crazy talk. Simply doesn't add up. Everybody in the world is looking for that plane.

[Riccardo]

Let's hope so

I think it's very unlikely as well but you never know. If it was hijacked it's certainly not the usual holding passengers for hostage situation

[IronEagle]

I think it's very unlikely as well but you never know. If it was hijacked it's certainly not the usual holding passengers for hostage situation

Still could be holding people for hostage in a remote location, as this author speculates.
http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_te...tral_asia.html

[The Duck]

Why the fuck wouldn't they just BUY a plane to fly a nuke in if they wanted to do that?

Probably has something to do with the lack of people willing to sell AQ a 777. That'd be my guess.

[IronEagle]

Probably has something to do with the lack of people willing to sell AQ a 777. That'd be my guess.

You wouldn't need a 777 to fly a nuke in. There are plenty of used aircraft on the market available.

[Riccardo]

Yeah he also speculates tje flying bomb theory too

Just seems like if the passengers were still alive the hijackers would've said something by now.

I like the first comment - a viral marketing campaign for Liam Neeson's next movie!

[The Duck]

You wouldn't need a 777 to fly a nuke in. There are plenty of used aircraft on the market available.

You'd need something that could pass for a commercial airliner to avoid being shot down. If the jet was stolen for such a plot, there's an inherent assumption that it was required to ultimately avoid detection and reach the target.

There were used airplanes on the market in September of 2001 also. They went a different route.

[IronEagle]

Just seems like if the passengers were still alive the hijackers would've said something by now.

I like the first comment - a viral marketing campaign for Liam Neeson's next movie!

My personal opinion is that intelligence agencies know a lot more about this situation than they are revealing publicly. A big part of the reason the 9/11 attacks were successful was because they weren't on the radar screen. Any attack involving this plane certainly would be on the radar after a high profile event like this. You really think the military hasn't gamed out the scenario of an attack by a commercial airliner with the transponder off?

[IronEagle]

You'd need something that could pass for a commercial airliner to avoid being shot down. If the jet was stolen for such a plot, there's an inherent assumption that it was required to ultimately avoid detection and reach the target.

There were used airplanes on the market in September of 2001 also. They went a different route.

So you are saying they would attack with the transponder ON, in order to pass for a commercial airliner?

[The Duck]

You really think the military hasn't gamed out the scenario of an attack by a commercial airliner with the transponder off?

I'm sure they have. If something big is underway, I'm also sure the men behind it would have anticipated the military reaction and planned accordingly.

[Riccardo]

Like you said, off wouldnt work

So you are saying they would attack with the transponder ON, in order to pass for a commercial airliner?

How hard would it be to swap transponders or change the signal? I have no one idea

[IronEagle]

How hard would it be to swap transponders or change the signal? I have no one idea

I worked in avionics briefly but I have no idea about that. Don't know if they transmit a serial number... probably not. My guess is that you program in an ID of some sort and they transmit that. But again, if there is a rogue ID that should be detectable if you are looking for it. But easy to miss as well.