Surveillance video: The Islamabad hotel truck bombing
posted at 11:00 am on September 22, 2008 by Allahpundit
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The camera didn’t capture the blast — have a look at the size of the crater and you’ll see why — but it caught everything up to that moment, including what appears to be the bomber blowing himself up in the driver’s seat as guards closed in. How’d he manage to set off the truck bomb, then? With “good” luck, apparently. It looks like the flames from the front-seat explosion started a fire in the back of the truck that set off the payload before security could put it out. 53 dead at last count, including two U.S. Marines.
Had the bombmakers had known what they were doing, it would have been much worse. Here’s Danger Room on the significance of aluminum powder being found in the residue:
Devices with a high proportion of metal powder to explosive are termed “thermobaric.” When the explosive goes off, the metal powder at the leading edge of the fireball burns as it contacts the air. With a crude device, the powder simply burns and adds to the fireball. In more advanced weapons, the burning metal produces a sub-sonic shockwave (known as deflagration); the most advanced type produce a detonation (supersonic shockwave) of tremendous destructive power…
The Marriott attack left a large crater, indicating that much of the blast came from a point source. The metal powder seems to have contributed only to the incendiary effects… [A] similar device with enhanced engineering could have leveled the building and caused far worse casualties. Terrorists showed that one of the most secure buildings in Islamabad was still vulnerable to attack, but there was far less damage than there might have been.
The use of gas canisters in the London car-bomb plot last year also suggested intent to build a thermobaric bomb. They’re not just trying to kill people in the immediate vicinity, in other words; they’re trying to take down buildings by boosting the force of the blast, kind of like Tritium does with nuclear weapons if I’m understanding this correctly.
AQ’s being blamed, but less interesting for the moment than whodunnit is who the target was. Reports variously point to the CIA, to Danish intelligence as payback for the Mohammed cartoons, or to the new Pakistani government, which had planned to meet in the hotel at the time the bomb went off — and then changed its plans at the last minute. From the Daily Mail article linked up top:
Interior Ministry chief Rehman Malik did not explain why the prime minister and president decided to move the dinner from the Marriott to the prime minister’s house but said the decision was kept secret.
‘Perhaps, the terrorists knew that the Marriott was the venue of the dinner for all the leadership where the president, prime minister, speaker and all entire leadership would be present,’ Malik said.
‘At the eleventh hour, the president and prime minister decided that the venue would be the prime minister’s house. It saved the entire leadership.’
Curiously enough, according to Dawn, a patrol van carrying police commandos stationed outside the Marriott was removed at around 4:15. Was that because the government meeting had been canceled, or is there a darker explanation? To wit, your exit question: Who would have had intimate access to the Pakistani leadership sufficient to know its whereabouts and an interest in sharing that info with jihadis to help them carry out a decapitation strike? Hmmmmmmm.
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And there are nuclear weapons in this country?
carbon_footprint on September 22, 2008 at 11:05 AM
Sorry, but this is why EOD robots were designed. I’m not going anywhere near a truck that was intended to be a bomb, I don’t care if the driver is dead.
The Palestinian savages design their attacks to have a second or third bomb explode minutes after the first one, so as to catch emergency personnel in the blast.
Bishop on September 22, 2008 at 11:08 AM
I vote for decapitation strike, with assistance from ISI.
Vashta.Nerada on September 22, 2008 at 11:10 AM
As long as the Army remains sane, AQ/Taliban can’t take over the country. I hope.
lodge on September 22, 2008 at 11:10 AM
Yes there are, and I think it’s only a matter of time before the Koranimals get their hands on one of them as a present from the ISI. The ISI has been in bed with these savages for years and I’m afraid that no one in that country can be trusted with nukes.
Agent of the Cross on September 22, 2008 at 11:11 AM
I realize that’s clever in the way Chimperor is clever, but it’s not helpful.
BadgerHawk on September 22, 2008 at 11:15 AM
Helpful to what?
Elric66 on September 22, 2008 at 11:17 AM
Yep, the religion of peace. More like the religion of blown to pieces.
mindhacker on September 22, 2008 at 11:18 AM
Ed,
Tritium creates a fusion reaction in the process of enhancing yield in a hydrogen bomb.
This was a strictly chemical explosion, so it is not related or even similar to Tritium.
The weapons designers at Sandia-Livermore would be amused.
Right_of_Attila on September 22, 2008 at 11:19 AM
It’s derogatory. The comments here reflect on Ed, AP and The Boss. Making a generalized slur against all Muslims isn’t helpful in that respect. If, by using the term Koranimal, Agent means terrorist, then just say terrorist.
BadgerHawk on September 22, 2008 at 11:20 AM
Being PC hasnt helped in this war since 9-11, the UK is now a semi sharia state and its even creeping here in the US.
Elric66 on September 22, 2008 at 11:23 AM
Get over yourself.
ManlyRash on September 22, 2008 at 11:23 AM
IF THE TERRORIST WANT TO DIED,WE SHOULD STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND HELP THEM.
steviedfromnc on September 22, 2008 at 11:24 AM
Besides, these guys are animals and they do follow the teachings of the qur’an. Seems pretty fitting to me. Terrorist is such a general vague term. If we are to win, we must understand the ideology of the enemy. Being PC wont cut it.
Elric66 on September 22, 2008 at 11:25 AM
Liberals wants to trust Obama with the security of the US. Nuts!
pukara61 on September 22, 2008 at 11:26 AM
Are you wearing a tie-dyed shirt and a peace sign on a rope?
People who slaughter innocents are animals, savages and the scum of the earth. And the prey on weaklings like you.
fogw on September 22, 2008 at 11:26 AM
Amen. If these bastards want to see Allah that badly, let’s do everything we can to facilitate the meeting.
ManlyRash on September 22, 2008 at 11:26 AM
It is entirely possible there was a remote detonation from other consiprators.
There is always the chance that a driver could be shot or somehow disabled, but having a backup remote detonator increases the chances of a successful bombing.
As for the removal of the commandos, their presence would probably not have impacted the operation. To be sure, there are many pro jihadist throughout Pak society.
moxie_neanderthal on September 22, 2008 at 11:27 AM
I heard some idiot stating that one of the causes could have been against Mormon’s. That it was a Marriot, with ties to Mormon’s, then he threw in that Mitt was a Mormon, and Mitt was supporting McCain so this was a pre-emptive attack and warning against McCain…then I just tuned out.
We have raving lunatics as reporters…lunatics.
right2bright on September 22, 2008 at 11:29 AM
*shaking head sadly* Apparently the Drive-Bys are manifesting symptoms of acute MDS and PDS.
ManlyRash on September 22, 2008 at 11:31 AM
I believe that terrorist is too general a term to describe the true nature of these individuals. Let’s call them what they are: Islamic Fascists. They have no problem Badger with killing you, me or our families as we are not of their religion. You and I are nothing but sheep that must be slaughtered and as far as they are concerned the sooner they and the leader of Iran get nuclear weapons the better. They are animals and use the Koran, hence the phrase Koranimals is appropriate for them. The are fully in line with the religion born in violence, spread by violence and protected by the threat of violence.
That said, I do take your point about my comments reflecting negatively toward Michelle, AP and Ed. I love this site and the folks that come and comment. There have been many times that I have come to HotAir to read comments and feel that I have friends that share the same views. Believe me, when one lives in the People’s Republic or Oregon, it certainly helps.
Agent of the Cross on September 22, 2008 at 11:33 AM
Now that the Taliban/Al Qaeda is attempting decapitation strikes against the Government of Pakistan, perhaps they will be less tolerant of their country being used as a safe haven and base of operations.
These terrorists to do not play well with others. If they are in Pakistan, it is only a matter of time before they try to kill the leadership and take over. Pakistan is living with a tiger in the house. Perhaps it is time they let US forces take that tiger outside.
gridlock2 on September 22, 2008 at 11:36 AM
“Koranimals” is a term originating at LGF and used pretty much exclusively by the Lizards who post there. While they are, more or less, kindred political spirits with us HotAirHeads, their temperament is edgier and the language they use to express themselves a bit more, um, brutally frank than we are accustomed to.
ManlyRash on September 22, 2008 at 11:37 AM
+1 and very well put. And I apologize if some are taking me to be a PC hippie. When the left can’t win on the arguments they just accuse conservatives of being racist of Islamophobic (whatever that means). I live in Madison and get those lobbed at me on a regular basis. Terms that don’t distinguish between the savages we’re fighting and Muslims who are on our side makes it tougher to push back against the those charges.
BadgerHawk on September 22, 2008 at 11:40 AM
I am. Tritium is used to boost the yield by contributing neutrons (a LOT of them) to increase the number of reactions in a given period of time. More reactions = bigger (and faster) bang.
BobMbx on September 22, 2008 at 11:41 AM
I would bet there was a secondary detonation device, there usually are. Many of the devices I’ve seen or dealt with in Iraq had more than one. Interestingly enough it was usually because the “drivers” have a habit of changing their mind. How do I know this? Many times we have found body parts chained to the car.
gator70 on September 22, 2008 at 11:43 AM
ManlyRash on September 22, 2008 at 11:37 AM
True. I just don’t get the mind set of people that think they can reason and talk with people that are suicide bombers. For instance, the Quakers and Mennonites that are inviting Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to dinner so they can “talk” and “listen” to his perspective and “dialogue” with him. The only thing that this does is delay their decapitation.
Born in violence, spread by violence and protected by the threat of violence.
Agent of the Cross on September 22, 2008 at 11:45 AM
How about Islamo-terrorists?
But to be fair and in order to not offend Muslims in general, we shall henceforward refer to ourselves and each other as “Infidel”.
Agreed, BadgerHawk the Infidel?
BobMbx on September 22, 2008 at 11:46 AM
I should have mentioned that too. I tried to argue against using the term over there and got destroyed by other commenters. The left falsely claims LGF is a racist site no matter what Charles posts because of the ‘brutal frankness’ in the comments sections.
And if you think the commenters over there are edgy, you know they’re edgy. You’re not exactly one to parse your words.
BadgerHawk on September 22, 2008 at 11:46 AM
Name 5.
BobMbx on September 22, 2008 at 11:49 AM
BadgerHawk on September 22, 2008 at 11:40 AM
I agree. Islamophobic, what a great term. I usually tell people that I am not phobic, I do not have an irrational fear of Islam. I know about it’s history and and the fear/concern of Islam is very rational.
Have a great day Badger!
Agent of the Cross on September 22, 2008 at 11:49 AM
BadgerHawk,
I guess it depends on if you think Islam is a driving force behind the jihadists attacks and agenda.
Elric66 on September 22, 2008 at 11:49 AM
LOL. Sorry for jumping in your sh!t earlier. Yes, they are an edgy bunch - sort of like a latter day Algonquin Roundtable on crystal meth.
I occasionally post there and have gotten into some spectacular verbal duels with a few of the militant atheists there. I held my ground, but not without significant bruising and bloodshed.
They are not a lot to be trifled with, but in the final analysis I respect their pugnacity, as it is not without considerable intelligence and a good sense of humor. That is why I consider them kindred - if somewhat less restrained - spirits.
I recommend that all HotAirHeads spend some time lurking the LGF message boards - if only to get an idea of what truly brutal verbal carnage looks like.
ManlyRash on September 22, 2008 at 11:54 AM
Isn’t that the video of the decoy truck and not the one which devasted the hotel?
Shy Guy on September 22, 2008 at 11:56 AM
1. Ed didn’t write this. There are bylines on the posts for a reason.
2. Yes, I understand it’s a chemical explosion. Do you think I was suggesting this was a small nuclear device? All I’m doing is analogizing. Sheesh.
Allahpundit on September 22, 2008 at 12:06 PM
Geeeeeeeeesssshhhhh, people!
There are no terrorists in the world! The real enemies are Senator John McCain and Governor Sarah Palin………….
…………… didn’t you watch the Emmies last night!
Seven Percent Solution on September 22, 2008 at 12:07 PM
I don’t think that it is. It is merely a tool, currently being used by a mindset that would still be savage, even if Islam did not exist.
OldEnglish on September 22, 2008 at 12:22 PM
Maybe you can get an ointment for that…
trigon on September 22, 2008 at 12:24 PM
Might be a tool, buts one thats been used since by Muslims since the conception of Islam. Understanding the ideology of the enemy is the first step in defeating it. Europe hasnt and its a generation or 2 from being an Islamic state.
Elric66 on September 22, 2008 at 12:31 PM
My father has stayed in that hotel and was involved in embassy security measures. When I talked to him about the bombing he said that while there are a lot of security measures around the place, it just wasn’t very secure and really couldn’t be made all that secure (I’m guessing by nature of it’s location and the surroundings - he didn’t elaborate). In his words: “I don’t understand why Marriott Hotels didn’t get rid of that pig a long time ago”.
Anyway, too bad they weren’t able to get that fire put out but as others have said, it would be worth checking into if another means (backup or remote) of detonation was used.
batter on September 22, 2008 at 12:38 PM
Agreed, Europe is well on the way - though not through terrorism, but migration.
OldEnglish on September 22, 2008 at 12:49 PM
Same ideology, different approach. They all want the same thing, just use different methods.
Elric66 on September 22, 2008 at 12:59 PM
I think everyone has missed the point of this attack.
This attack represents a turning point in terrorist’s capability to bomb buildings from the checkpoint area.
Previously, they had to drive the truck up next to the building, or crash through the checkpoint to get to the front of the building.
Now, they can drive to the checkpoint and blast away.
This is very alarming.
faraway on September 22, 2008 at 1:12 PM
Friend,
I challenge you to find parts of the Koran that demand patience and understanding for enemies, or unbelievers. I’ll save you some time, they don’t exist.
If we were to call true Islam a “religion of peace”, we would be insulting its followers. Truth be known, true Islam has been a religion of war, brutality, intolerance, violence, and hatred since Muhammad developed and organized the religion (this was, of course, after he was renowned as a pedophile and violently waged war on Arabia, killing or converting every Arab that he came in contact with forcibly.
Any person that does not recognize Islam as the violent, hate mongering religion that it is, suffers from their own delusional state of mind. That being the case, if they live in the U.K., they should commit suicide as not to be a drain on the National Healthcare System.
leetpriest on September 22, 2008 at 1:32 PM
AP,
I should have recognized that Ed does not use sloppy analogies in his reasoning. Reading taglines is difficult on my blackberry.
Your quote also was incorrect on the nature of a Thermobaric device. Thermobaric weapons use atmospheric oxygen to increase the effect of their blast, not metal particles.
Right_of_Attila on September 22, 2008 at 1:44 PM
Been there, done that, got through security.
Right_of_Attila on September 22, 2008 at 1:52 PM
Haven’t been there. Haven’t done that. And security beat the sh!t out of me. :-)
ManlyRash on September 22, 2008 at 2:34 PM
Yep, that’s right. US is a semi-sharia state.
What the hell are you smoking? Idiots like you are the reason that conservatives get such a bad stereotype.
Xolom on September 22, 2008 at 2:58 PM
I agree that ‘terrorist’ is an imprecise and unhelpful term that describes neither the behaviour, the motivation, nor the effect. In particular it doesn’t indicate that we are talking about people who are inspired by Islam and thus fails to identify the enemy or the cause of the problem.
Why not just call them ‘violent muslims’ or ‘muslim bombers’? That way you have a label that describes both the immediate deed without ignoring the vile ideology that motivated it. These terms are moderately precise, succinct, accurate and non-insulting.
YiZhangZhe on September 22, 2008 at 3:31 PM
That’s right. Didn’t Mohammed approve of the assassination of people who opposed or ridiculed him? I would also like a definition of Muslims who are on our side, by the way.
Fortunata on September 22, 2008 at 3:57 PM
I would propose that, if we are to survive, brutal frankness will have to become the norm.
Nuanced engagement of your enemy often leads to uncertain or less-than-desired results. Anything less than brutal frankness plays into the hands of those who presently desire to kill us. Brutal frankness needs to be followed by hitting fast, hitting hard and hitting often, until the message has been delivered and understood with brutal clarity.
Yoop on September 22, 2008 at 4:07 PM
I’d like to disagree. I think it is extremely important that we recognise that there is an ideology that inspires these acts of barbarity, and its name is Islam. These people do not act in an ideological vacuum; they may not understand or follow every last detail of the Koran but they get their attitudes and values from Islam. Other barbarians do not have an ideology that they want to spread but Islam is designed to propogate barbarity; that is its purpose, its raison d’etre: It is barbaric and it is designed (either by man or demon as you please) to spread itself.
Islam is a parasite ideology; it does not bring an alternative form of civilisation, but merely weakens and incapacitates whatever civilisation is stupid enough to let it feed.
The unwillingness to recognise Islam as the prime cause is precisely why Islam is being allowed to grow unchecked in Europe.
YiZhangZhe on September 22, 2008 at 4:18 PM
I think there’s a lot of public unease and simmering below the surface, you can see it in the comments sections of right-leaning European newspapers. The idea of civil strife in overcrowded countries with huge Muslim populations (Britain, the Netherlands) is truly horrible to contemplate. Hence the sullen muttering among the majority population. The far right parties are growing all over as a response, however.
Fortunata on September 22, 2008 at 4:36 PM
The slackers on security permitted this disaster to become more than one dead Islamofascist truck driver.
The vehicle could have been bulldozed a block away, as it smoldered, and hotel spared serious damage, and any loss of life, had there been properly serious precautions involved.
Too many Muslims in Pakistan are living in a Koranically-fatalistic state (”Inshallah” indifference to life) and cannot be trusted to do anything but abet further terrorism through inaction, delusion and collusion.
profitsbeard on September 22, 2008 at 6:25 PM
I do realize that it is easy to equate Islam with barbarism, but it would be incorrect. Islam is the product of a barbarous mindset. Does anyone truly believe that, before 622 AD, there was no barbaric behaviour in that region - and all other regions where Islam has taken fervent hold?
Communism was founded in England, yet failed to take hold among the working class there. They are not stupid. (Although stupid enough to agitate foe Socialism).
I have always believed that, in analyzing a situation, one should always go back to the beginning and ask - why is it so? 622 AD was not the beginning.
OldEnglish on September 22, 2008 at 6:59 PM
BadgerHawk is only adhering to the current majority western view that Islam and Muslims must be shielded from non Muslims. “Terrorists” is safe and doesn’t imply any identification. AQ is another safe name that means nothing but takes the heat off Islam and Muslims. Yes the Qu’ran is tedious and full of repetitive crap but you only have to know that in the eyes of Islam, all unbelievers are targets and Allah whips his slaves to make the world one for Allahs worship alone. They have been trying for 1400 years with some success and have caused and ocean of tears and another of blood in the process.
I would like to know these friendly Muslims you speak of though. Those on a western payroll don’t count though.
I’d like to hear from soldiers who have had dealings with the Mohammedans first hand. Last pulse I remember was that none did have faith or trust in Muslims when it came to the bottom line.
When your president says what he does about Islam and your authorities have banned the word Jihadist from usage, when the men who guard your fate would be lost without their Muslim aides then it is already to late for the needed debate on Islam. Your will fight religion hijackers, disaffected youths, restive insurgents or whatever non Islamic connected group you care to imagine, forever.
Well not forever, just till your financially and spiritually exhausted and just find it easier to appease what you do not understand rather than discover what ails you. You see that beginning already when a fantasized showdown with the Commie Russkies seemed a welcome relief to the war on WTF.
I am very pessimistic about the short term. Of course Obama would be worse but McCain will have BadgerHawks view and the blindness will continue. The long term is a toss up.
BL@KBIRD on September 22, 2008 at 10:14 PM
lots of stuff wrong with the people and the video. The barracades were freakin wooden construction signs, thats not going to stop anything. The personnel ran like little school girls. They tried to put the fire out with a CO2 extinguisher, which I guess is all they had. And something else blew up off camera throwing debris into the scene coming from camera right.
I agree another vehicle could have hauled that thing out of there but the personnel dont appear trained to have been expecting this.
johnnyU on September 23, 2008 at 9:36 AM
Why, Why, Why do we allow this. Is there no one that has the brass ones to just go in and entirely flatten the freakin’ Middle East! Innocents be dammed, this is war and there are no “victims” only combatants. There is not an ounce of courage left if we continue to let these scum nations survive. This crap pisses me off.
okay I feel better after that rant
theRealMcCoy on September 23, 2008 at 10:12 AM
I agree with the above comment entirely and very much respect your desire to find the origin of the barbarity and not be satisfied with trite accusations.
However, my reading of the Koran suggests to me that Mohammed was trying to limit the barbarity and the tribalism of those around him. Thus Islam is a product of the mindset of Mohammed and his early barbaric followers but the barbarity that Islam then inspires and propagates is not identical to that existing prior to Islam.
Consequently I think it is now fair to say that the violent Muslims are inspired by Islam.
There are of course barbarians who are not Muslims. Every society has those, but they seem to simply follow their lusts into common idleness, thuggery, thievery and molestation. Islam adds the divine mandate for such things and its inspiration gives barbarity an added zeal and specific goals.
I think I see the distinction you are making but in terms of the battle that needs to be won, I can’t see how it is helpful to minimise the role of Islam.
YiZhangZhe on September 23, 2008 at 2:58 PM
I can empathise with your frustration but Islam spreads far beyond the M.E. There are Muslims and Islam inspired problems on every continent. Flattening the M.E. might make some people feel better but wouldn’t really solve the problem.
We pay Islam to cause us trouble. We have enriched Muslims by paying them to allow us to extract and use the oil beneath their feet. Europe gives home to millions of disenfranchised Muslims from Asia and Africa, enriching them through its welfare handouts.
Those who plot against us do so using technology, infrastructure, legal instruments, and hence power, that they could never attain by themselves. They live amongst us, drawing from our strengths in pursuit of their diabolical ambitions.
Islam is a parasite ideology; If the non-Islamic support system is removed, Islam will wither.
YiZhangZhe on September 23, 2008 at 3:33 PM