Times Square bombing details indicate planning, testing

Bomber had planning and surveillance

"...the bomber decided to substitute higher grade explosives for items that were "more readily available" on the consumer market..."

A recently released article by CNN.com provides some frightening details surrounding the attempted Times Square bombing. According to this report, Faisal Shahzad, who pleaded guilty to the attempted attack on Times Square, also admitted that he had altered the composition of the bomb, its materials and structure to avoid detection. After what seems to be comprehensive surveillance on his part, Shahzad decided to substitute higher grade explosives for items that were "more readily available" on the consumer market. This action indicates surveillance, planning, contingency planning, and testing on the part of this would-be bomber. Interestingly, these steps, now obvious, are the same steps mainstream media outlets have stated would allow an attempt to be detected by officials...making it nearly impossible to carry out an attack.

The most disturbing facts here are that the targeting of a major hotel in a densely populated area on a Saturday night...the intent clearly to maximize casualties.

They only have to work once...

We were lucky. This bomb didn't detonate. It was discovered (noticed...by a civilian who had the wherewithal to say something) before anything could happen. Fortunately the skills of the bomb maker were lacking, but the planning and intel gathering/surveillance work were not; this is exactly why this type of attack got as far as it did ad why they will be successful in the future.We also have to admit to ourselves that this type of individual effort is almost impossible to detect. Not part of a know cell, nobody tunes into their actions, purchases, emails, or cell phone conversations. So, when someone buys guns, propane tanks, fireworks, and fertilizer...they don't raise any red flags. They may be detected, maybe not...but it only has to work once.