What's in the bucket?

[zz000ter]

So the speculation that the bucket taken from the backyard of Byron Sonne's house

Bomb unit seizes material at G20 activist's former home (http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/story/2012/04/04/toronto-police-byrone-sonne.html)

Speculation now is that the "dangerous substance" is potassium (per)chlorate.
Potassium perchlorate is just a "strong oxidizer"
It is not an explosive substance

This chemical on its own is not dangerous.
The police are blowing this out of all proportion.
Tens of thousands of $$$ are being wasted just so that the police can get publicity for doing something

Yes it is better to be safe than sorry - but the police stupidity rates high on this one IMHO
I wonder how many of the cops are earning overtime on this one

[JAC]

Potassium chlorate is highly dangerous.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potassium_chlorate

When mixed with a suitable fuel, it may form an explosive material, a so-called Sprengel explosive. The hygroscopic and slightly weaker sodium chlorate is sometimes used as a safer and less expensive substitute for potassium chlorate. In World War I, mixes of potassium chlorate with plasticizers (such as wax) were the most common type of plastic explosive used, often filling grenades and other munitions.

[sylpherware]

Potassium chlorate is highly dangerous.

Maybe, but highly over-paid cops doing their jobs are even more dangerous :-0 *gasp* :-0

[5dark]

Maybe, but highly over-paid cops doing their jobs are even more dangerous :-0 *gasp* :-0

Exactly, what's the worst that could happen?

[zz000ter]

Potassium chlorate is highly dangerous.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potassium_chlorate

When mixed with a suitable fuel, it MAY form an explosive material, a so-called Sprengel explosive.

They just said it might be potassium (per)chlorate and nothing else
on its own it is not explosive as you have clearly stated

I played with these chemicals when I was a kid.
I know how much overblown this whole police PR stunt is.

They are acting like a pail of cheap chemicals is a radioactive dirty bomb or something.

I could have saved the city a lot of money.
They could have called me and I would have put the bucket in the trunk of my car
and driven it down to the Leslie Street spit

I think they were using this as a training exercise and PR stunt

[zz000ter]

Update - the cops "burned" whatever was in the bucket and they did not need to blow it up.

Stupid reporters talking about dangers of the chemicals blowing into Toronto.

[sylpherware]

Update - the cops "burned" whatever was in the bucket and they did not need to blow it up.

Stupid reporters talking about dangers of the chemicals blowing into Toronto.

Seems like this is as much of a PR stunt as this thread :lol:

[macy69]

I think they were using this as a training exercise and PR stunt

Thanks for the detailed forensic report

[Bazooka Joe]

Update - the cops "burned" whatever was in the bucket and they did not need to blow it up.

Stupid reporters talking about dangers of the chemicals blowing into Toronto.

Burning is a very standard explosives destruction technique. And potasium chlorate is plenty dangerous enough with very few reasonable excuses to have a "bucket" lying around. That being said, it is surprising that someone would attempt to use it to create home-made explosives.

[Piro21]

I think they're really overblowing the case against this guy to set an example for those who think of monitoring the cops. As an aside, does anyone know if the crossbow guy is out of jail yet? Have they actually charged him with anything?