by the Left Coast Rebel

The term ‘explosive underwear’ conjures up fond memories of juvenile jokes of years past. I mean come on, whoopee cushions, the musical fruit, pull my finger; explosive underwear fits right into these themes. Who would think that explosive underwear would be a top news item? Well it is and ABC News got their hands on a pictures of the Northwest Airlines bomber’s underwear. And since he is the artist formerly known as the ‘groin bomber’ his set of ‘explosive underwear’ is one of a kind:

The white thing to the side of the undies is the explosive PETN. It takes absolute dedication that most Americans cannot even fathom to pledge to blow up your crotch, civilians, and yourself for virgins and more.

Explosive underwear, what has this world come to? Skidmarks anyone?

Joking aside, ABC reports why this is not funny in the least:

Tragedy was averted only because the detonator, acid in a syringe, did not work.

“It’s very clear it came very, very close,” said Rep. Pete Hoekstra, R.-Mich., ranking minority member of the House Intelligence Committee. “The explosive device went off, but it became an incendiary device instead of an explosive device, which is probably what saved that airplane.” Two of its four top leaders were U.S. prisoners at Guantanamo until November, 2007 when they were turned over to Saudi Arabia and then set free after supposedly being rehabilitated.

The acid in the melted plastic syringe, pictured below, caused a fire but did not make proper contact with the PETN.

PETN Package out of the underwear

Syringe Detonator

Via Drudge