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Effort to Secure Ammonium Nitrate Sales Stalls
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ShareApril 20, 2007 12:18 PM
Partisan differences have stalled a congressional effort to secure sales of ammonium nitrate, after Republicans proposed that potential buyers of the commercial fertilizer have their names checked against the terrorist watch list.
A commonly used fertilizer, ammonium nitrate can also be a key bomb-making ingredient. Ammonium nitrate was used in the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and the 1998 bombings of U.S. embassies in Africa.
Al Qaeda videos posted on the Internet have shown how to mix ammonium nitrate to make a bomb.
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In an undercover investigation last September, ABC News was able to purchase and store large quantities of ammonium nitrate at stores in Virginia and North Carolina.
The House Homeland Security Committee had convened Tuesday to discuss a bill meant to tighten security around ammonium nitrate sales. Republican Dan Lundgren, Calif., introduced the amendment that would require potential buyers be screened against the terrorist watch list.
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Democrats immediately objected to the proposal, saying that requiring farmers to undergo the kind of name screening used for airline passengers would place an undue burden on those whose names might match those on the watch list.
"The problem I have is the darn use of the watch list," said Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, D-D.C. "Just ask John Lewis and Ted Kennedy about the watch list," she said, naming two senior U.S. lawmakers who have been stopped at airports because their names matched those on the watch list.
While there is an appeals process to clear one's name, Norton said, it can take several months. "The farmer has a limited period of time in which to use that ammonium nitrate. Whereas, I don't know, John Lewis will find his way to Washington one way or the other, even Ted Kennedy."
Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., the ranking Republican on the panel, professed surprise at the Democrats' position. "How would we explain it if months from now, God forbid, a terrorist pulls off an ammonium nitrate attack, and we didn't even bother to check their name against the terrorist watch list?"
Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., told ABC News that Democrats supported the idea if innocent farmers whose names falsely match those on the watch list can get their names cleared quickly. One proposal, backed by the farm lobby, would require the Department of Homeland Security to develop a process to clear false name matches within 72 hours. Both sides say they expect to reach an agreement soon.
April 20, 2007 | Permalink | User Comments (11)
Then shouldn't we also check names when people purchase vehicals, cuttlery, and any number of "dangerous" items. This is just playing to peoples fears. Stop crying wolf and report something usefull.
Posted by: skidog | Apr 20, 2007 1:04:12 PM
The LIBS are incredible. Such a simple thing to protect this country, in this day of terrorism, and the LIBS have none of it. Apparently REID thinks this war is lost also.
Posted by: moose98 | Apr 20, 2007 2:25:48 PM
I have a bag of insecticide here that says "It is a violation of Federal law to use this product in a manner inconsistent with its labeling". Maybe we could amend this law to include fertilizer?
Then we could bust ABC News for buying ammonium nitrate when they had no intention whatsoever of using it on crops....
Posted by: Sod Buster | Apr 20, 2007 2:33:58 PM
What's the big deal, ski? Both parties will soon agree on the bill, which will provide a method by which false matches are cleared within three days.
It's not "playing into people's fears" unless those people are prone to be afraid anyway, and I don't think anybody's crying wolf. It's just a small, matter-of-fact report of an anti-terrorism bill that's on the floor right now.
Posted by: Jazz | Apr 20, 2007 2:54:02 PM
Jazz, It's freakin fertilizer! How much money has been spent debating adding fertilizer to a watch list? I think the money would be better spent by allocating it to our local police forces.
Posted by: skidog | Apr 20, 2007 3:44:14 PM
AN is a potential component of an expolsive...that's all...pretty simple to run a check on people buying a ton or two of it.
I don't know how much time and money went into creating this legislation; maybe not more than any other piece that we pay our congresspeople to wotk on.
It's a federal bill, anyway. Why would federal resources go towards LOCAL budgeting?
Posted by: Jazz | Apr 20, 2007 4:03:05 PM
More lists. The government just wants to make lists. They give the OK City example but would McVei have been on the list? No, he wasn't labeled a terrorist until AFTER Oklahome City. Very reminiscent of the law to make a list of everyone buying cold medicine because it might be used in meth labs. Did that solve the problem?
Posted by: Don L. | Apr 20, 2007 4:22:33 PM
I have a bag of insecticide here, that says, "It is a violation of Federal law to use this product in a manner inconsistent with its labeling".
Maybe they should just amend that law to include fertilizer.
Hmmm.... Then they could bust journalists who buy ammonium nitrate with no intention of ever using it on crops....
Posted by: Carnac | Apr 20, 2007 7:15:14 PM
OK, so suppose some sleeper radical muuslim with a clean record decides to buy a farm, and orders five tons of amonium nitrate? What good will that list do?
Or suppose four or five guys bounce from one lawn and garden store to another and buy the stuff 10 pounds at a time? It would not take too long to acquire a ton.
This proposed list is nothing more than "feel good" legislation that will be a major pain in the rear for everybody while being totally useless! Let's not forget that the terrorists are very creative people who will not be stymied by a list.
Posted by: George | Apr 22, 2007 10:59:50 AM
Yeah right... I'm not posting any formulas but this is a good idea and they need to include anhydrous ammonia in the bill. I think you know what I mean...if not check into it further.
regards
Posted by: radiobox newsgroup | Apr 23, 2007 12:15:07 PM
Get rid of the Dept. of Homeland Security !!!!! Chertoff should be forced out of Government!
Posted by: Shawn Fassett | Apr 24, 2007 7:43:41 PM
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