Apparently the "mastermind" behind this shocking display of idiocy was a doctor. The idea that someone so ignorant of basic science as to be involved with these bargain basement incendiaries was actually practising medicine in this country is actually a little frightening. Let us all hope he is innocent.
There was previously just a tiny sliver of doubt in my mind. Were the two Mercedes cars left in London - the one that crashed and the one that was towed away by Westminster Council for being illegally parked - really as ill-prepared to do anyone any damage at all as news reports implied?
Possibly, as well as the "Propane, petrol and nails", there was also a stick of dynamite that the police had neglected to mention. Maybe the petrol was mixed with ammonium nitrate. I couldn't really be certain.
To set my mind at rest, there was the suicide arson attack on Glasgow Airport. This time, the car did actually "go off", to the degree we would expect of the non-explosive combination of fuels that featured in descriptions of the London contraptions.
The media, and the Home Secretary, have spoken inaccurately of a "Detonator". Propane and petrol do not detonate. They ignite. The result is something that scientists call a "fire". And therefore, these cargo-cult terrorists are not bombers, but arsonists. One could call them "Suicide Arsonists", but their equipment is not actually adequate even for suicide, so Attempted Suicide Arsonists are what they are.
The sensible response would be nothing at all. However, I cannot ignore them all by myself. I am therefore attempting to stir up some apathy. The "two minutes silence" has become a familiar ceremony to us all as we attempt to show our concern about some tragedy or another. I suggest that to mark this farcical terror campaign, we all stop what we are doing and publicly carry out a "one minute giggle". Posters showing images of burning men holding Molotov cocktails, and would-be car-bombs being towed by traffic wardens. How about noon on Friday?
Anyone?
"Krazy Klown jihadis" - The Register
"Darwinian-Award dim" - Rachel
Interesting Wall Street Journal article - noting that no evidence of actual high explosive was found in the cars, and that propane-tank bombs have been used previously in Germany, and didn't work there either.