The Preggo Menace

Fox News is just one of several news outlets running a warning by the Department of Homeland Security that fake pregnant women could be used as suicide bombers in America:

The growing use by terrorist groups of women — some disguised as expectant moms — to deliver deadly homicide bombs has prompted the Department of Homeland Security and FBI to issue a rare warning that such attacks could take place on American soil.
The joint security assessment cited recent female homicide bomber attacks in Baghdad — in which two women who appeared to have Down syndrome delivered a deadly explosion that killed 99 — as well as in Sri Lanka, Chechnya, India, Pakistan and the Palestinian territories as reason for the warning.
"Female suicide bombers may have an advantage over their male counterparts in accessing targets," the analysis cautioned. "The means to conduct a suicide attack vary widely, but a key element in maximizing the lethality of a suicide bombing is the bomber's ability to get close to the target."
The assessment also strongly warned that potential female homicide bombers could use "prosthetic devices that mimic the look of a pregnant woman."

Reality check.

There are far more obese Americans that pregnant ones, and unlike pregnant people, the obese, both real and fake, are often "invisible," pitied and looked way from by members of the general public. Little old ladies like to talk to and touch pregnant ladies they don't even know. The obese? We're taught from a young age not to stare.

Few would want to get close enough to an obese person to see if it is fat or TATP that is causing the sweating in their second stomach fold.

The fake obese can hide far more explosives distributed around their bodies far more convincingly than "pregnant" bomber, especially when they get to a size where they can justify using a scooter, walker or wheelchair to carry even more explosives or shrapnel.

Is either scenario very likely here in the United States? Probably not, which makes this entire DHS-driven story one based more of sensationalism than in any real, actionable threat.

Frankly, I'm far more worried about more realistic threats, like exploding trash.

Posted by: Confederate Yankee at 03:12 PM

Comments

1 The difference between fat people and pregnant women:

1) pregnant women *usually* (I stress usually) have the bulge in the belly, but the arms/legs don't get as big as an equally heavy obese person. (IE the weight is centered in their belly).

2) obese people get big all over. No huge belly and matchstick arms/legs.

3) obese people walk like they've been heavy for years (and they have). Pregnant women walk like they have a sack of flour taped to their belly (because they do) and aren't accustomed to the extra weight.

(This is all dependant upon the woman's frame of course.)

Posted by: Scott_T at February 12, 2008 05:54 PM (aRgTx)

2 Has Libby over at Newshoggers called this another brilliant adaptation yet?

Posted by: daleyrocks at February 12, 2008 10:55 PM (0pZel)

3 I always told my convoy teams - Look for the Fat guy(gal) with a skinny neck and tiny ankles. Do not let them close your position!

Easy ROE.

Posted by: Desert Sailor at February 13, 2008 07:45 AM (WM45z)

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