The Boston Globe reports that an antiterrorism drill went awry Wednesday night. In a training exercise at Boston’s Logan Airport, the State Police hid 8 ounces of plastic explosive on the rear bumper of a Massport pickup truck to test bomb-sniffing dogs and handlers.
However, a Massport employee, unaware of the drill, moved the truck and the explosive either fell off or was stolen. The State Police are investigating, but say that the explosive is useless without a detonator. The explosive has a State Police label and a “Do not Touch” warning.
The Boston Herald provided a different perspective. Bruce Schneier, author of such books as Applied Crypography and Beyond Fear(We think everything he wrote is wonderful), and a noted security expert, commented, “I mean, c’mon people. If you’re going to run a security drill like this you can’t lose the explosive.” It is very embarassing that they can’t even keep track of their own explosives during a regulated drill. None of the police involved noticed the truck being moved.
It remains, as the Herald concluded, as lost as luggage.
