“Weapons of Mass Destruction” Now Includes Hand Grenades. What next? Cherry Bombs?

I once stopped in Rockford, IL while travelling because I had trouble with a tire on my car. I decided to get some lunch while having a pair of new tires put on, so I was in town for about an hour and a half.

After about 45 minutes, I too began planning to set off several grenades in garbage cans at a shopping mall.

It’s a totally understandable thing…

But yeah… the definition of WMD is getting a bit stupid.

on the one head, I appauld the feds for getting this idiot. on the other hand , the way this hyped as a terrorism plot foiled you would have thought he was planning to take out the Sear’s Tower.

speaking of which does anyone have an update on those criminal masterminds from Florida.

The slippery slope appears to have slanted downwards a bit more just recently.

If this keeps up it won’t be long until just starting your car will be construed as attempted vehicular manslaughter–after all, it’s obvious you had the means to commit that crime in your possession, and it’s probable that you have felt road rage at some point in the past, so it ‘obviously follows’ that….

Cripes.

I, for one, do not welcome our Totalitarian Fascist overlords.

I really thing this is a case of bad reporting. No where in the federal Gun Control Act or the National Firearms Act. Is the phrase “Weapon of Mass Destruction” even used.

What they probably said was and was misreported was he will be charged with possession of a “Destructive Device” which is how a grenade is defined in the law.

Never attribute to malice what can be adequately explained by THE NEWS MEDIAS ignorance or stupidity.

Hand Grenades, RPGs, explosive shells are considered destructive devices, or ie. weapons of mass destructions, under federal law. I suspect the story was simply reported by an incompetent reporter that knows nothing about weapons or federal law.

Just in case you’re wondering you can legally own destructive devices, but you have to licensed which includes FBI background checks, insurance, and possible spot checks by the BATF, or whatever they’re called inside Homeland Security.

I can’t imagine someone owning a hand grenade sine it would be regulated under State as well as Federal law, the actually grenade would serial numbered and individually licensed, which is very expensive. If you ever used it your license would be used as well and you would probably have to account for it, to the BATF which would not be a pleasant experience.

Where can I see the list……..I’m sure my Aunts Meatloaf is on it and I want to report her.

GigG – I would disagree with you on reporter malice. They have to know they are so ignorant, yet they treat they mistakes with such an élan as to baffle common sense, unless they have private agendas. Surely a reporter wouldn’t use their position to try and influence politics or public opion, yeah right:(

#14, enter the F-word network

yawn – this is just the hyped-up media that doesnt have anything else to cover – the “next big” adrenaline rush – “theres terrorist in every town, oh my”

fucking waste of time

Now, CherryVale is the most popular mall in Rockford, so you could reasonably guess that had this gone off, the injury toll would be in the hundreds.

Not if you understand the physics of explosions. Even a plastic garbage can would deflect some of the blast upwards. Second, those surrounding the garbage can would absorb any blast from those further away. Third, because most garbage cans are near wall, much of the effect would be absorbed by the wall.

While there would probably be some injuries, and possible even some deaths, they would not extend to more then a few people. The most fearful aspect would be the panic rush to evacuate the building. The stampede would more likely cause more injuries then the explosion. If he let off one grenade, don’t expect him to be letting off any more.

The woman who was booted off the plane for lighting matches in an earlier post posessed a Weapon of Ass Destruction.

15 …does not prevent him from being charged with an “attempt” to whatever.

Well, at least being charged with something doesn’t mean they will be able to win a conviction on those charges.

And, I can’t overlook the fact that our plea-bargain system means that they are probably just “throwing the book at him” so they can get him to plead guilty to lesser charges.

I had jury duty 2-weeks ago, and we were reminded during the welcoming speech that it was important for us to show-up – even if we didn’t get called-up for a trial – because a lot of defendants decide to plea/settle when it finally comes down to selecting a jury.

#24. I have a problem with sting operations which are charged as if the defendant was dealing with real drug dealers, arms dealers, hired killers or whatever. If the defendant is dealing with a cop, obviously no real drugs will be purchased, no grenades will be bought, and no assassinations will be arranged. in other words, the harm that the law is supposed to prevent could not possibly happen. It is a preemptive strike. Sure, charge it as something, but it should not be as harsh as if there was a real danger.

And it is not just the defendants who decide to plead at the last minute, the State sometimes gets real about its plea offer at the last minute.

Anyone want to trade an RPG for the rest of my PBJ sandwich?