Bomb Busting Trash Cans in NYC Blast Shrapnel

April 3, 2005 -- Bomb-smothering trash cans in New York rail hubs don't work and could even make a terror blast more deadly by shredding you with shrapnel, say two whistleblowers who worked with the maker of the cans.

Hundreds of the supposedly bomb-busting bins are in place at Grand Central, Penn Station and Amtrak and Long Island Rail Road stations.

The insiders charge that Israeli security company Mistral fudged test results and misled the MTA and other agencies to sell its cans, which fetch up to $3,000 each.

nypost.com...

Apparently, the guy in charge of Mistral is a "politically connected Israeli businessman Eyal Banai." Another corrupt government contract...

www.mistralgroup.com...

Some background information on the man in question, and the company he represents. I'll present two short (resonably) snips from the link above.

Previously, Mr. Banai also served as the R&D Assistant Defense Attaché at the Embassy of Israel in Washington, D.C. where his work focused on joint defense R&D projects as well as procurement policies of the U.S. Department of Defense.

hmmm..there's more.

Should you be working with the Mistral Group? The answer is simple. As a buyer or supplier of industrial, defense, security or law enforcement products, technologies or systems, you too can realize the benefits upon which your industry counterparts have long come to rely.

Since its inception Mistral has worked with and supplied numerous end users from U.S. and overseas government agencies with hundreds of defense and industrial systems, products and components. Agencies such as the US Air Force, the US Army, DLA, FBI, Government of Taiwan, Government of Israel, and Government of Greece, are just a few of the long list of government agencies with which Mistral has already worked.

In addition, major commercial organizations such as Toyota Motor Credit Company, Dupont, Marriott Hotels, and Primex turn to Mistral for turnkey security and public safety projects and products as do public authorities such as Amtrak, Chicago O'Hare Airport, MARTA (Atlanta Transit Authority) and the Australia Sydney Airport. From simple product implementation to an involved turn key project, end users throughout the world use Mistral's unique products and services to provide solutions to their safety threats and concerns.

That's a partial statement from the "Who we work with" link on the above page. Notice Dupont - they have a long and sordid history of corruption, just ask twitchy. How about Sydney Airport? (I'll give you a hint, security and inteligence computers stolen, a 'gas leak' incapacitated passengers and has yet to be adequately explained, vials called it a 'proof of concept attack'. Make of that what you will.)

Then there's dealings with Taiwan and Israel, both nations that are being put in the position where they have to buy weapons and assorted technology by the political decisions of the White House..which..perhaps not coincidentally, Mr. Banai has intimate connections to, through the DoD. Remember the threats of terrorism at the Greek olympics? Who stands to profit from these stupid rubbish bins? Who is in a position to perhaps leak 'inteligence' and get a few warnings of 'chatter' put out? Interesting situation.

On a total tangent, EyeSpy is running a story that caught my eye, but I don't have a subscription, anyone here who can fill me on the juicy details?
Flight 93: FBI analysis of tape leads to confusion. New information suggests passengers may not have entered cockpit.

bump

This is important, and more people should have this information.

So bump da bump bump bump.

www.rpi.edu...
This article mentions, in passing, reinforced flower boxes to prevent a suicide bomber from ramming a building. Too funny.

www.lewisnews.com...
Check out this websites article on the subject before they go out of business and get shut down.

From the article:

Banai told The Post that his cans were tested by two labs in Maryland, the site of Mistral's U.S. headquarters, and by the U.S. Army.

"Our product is 100 percent," he said.

Sure, Mr.Banai. It's 100% crap.

Makes me angry. First the US AF is buying the Israeli guided bombs that miss, now the defective cans.

Let's boycott everything Israeli made.

A lot of "Homeland Security" is just a new avenue for government pork.

I know my old company got handed a bunch of $5000 "toughbook" laptops by the Army through DHS, and knowing my old boss he is snookering them for every penny he can get.

Needless to say, he loves Bush, much like any right-thinking crooked rich guy...

Yeah...

The best question to ask in relation to any situation regarding who-done-it is; who benefits?

I'm really curious if this is total spin, and if so, from which side?

There's certainly enough anti/pro Israel bias around, coming from all sides.

It's not inconceivable that the trash cans do function as intended, and it's not inconceivable that they are crap, as stated by the employee in question. How are we to know without testing the things ourselves?