AUSTRALIA: NSW: Battery acid, plastic PVC pipe and pipe caps typical household or handyman items so dangerous that they must be being used to make a bomb?

Details of an alleged plan by a group of Sydney men to allegedly gather quantities of 'hydrochloric acid' and packaging have been revealed in a Sydney court.

An application by the media to gain access to court documents further detailing the allegations has been suppressed until Monday morning.

Twenty-nine-year-old Mirsad Mulahalilovic is the first of eight men accused of planning terrorist related activities to have his bail application refused.

Common knowledge

Crown Prosecutor Wendy Abrahams said that in June this year, at the house of one of the accused, police found a 'computer memory stick' with instructions and images for the manufacture of an explosive.

Ms Abrahams said the type of explosive known as TATP contained hydrochloric acid as an ingredient, which a number of the accused had attempted to obtain.

But hydrochloric acid is also used in batteries and typically used in a modern world? For the car industry or even for domestic use? All bombs need oxygen but that doesn't mean we stop breathing!

The basic ingredients of TATP are commonly available.

Nail varnish? Nail polish remover? Fiberglass epoxy? Please don't hold us in suspense!

So what

TATP, sometimes refered to as "the Mother of Satan", has been used by Palestinian suicide bombers in Israel.

But the only mother of SATAN here is John HoWARd and his new Ant-Terrorism Bill!

It was also the explosive in the backpack bombs that killed 52 people and injured more than 700 in the London bombings on July 7.

So, what has that got to do with a bloke's garage, some battery acid, 1 metre of PVC pipe and a few plastic caps?

It is alleged hydrochloric acid was found at Mulahalilovic's home and he purchased plastic bottle caps and plastic PVC piping.

Magistrate Allan Moore refused Mulahalilovic's application for bail, saying the alleged activities could have created a great disturbance.

But they were more likely than not to being used for a useful domestic purpose. Like replacing acid in old batteries or removal of paint etc, etc.

Defence barrister Phillip Boulten SC told the court his client's charges are based on the most marginal evidence.

Mr Boulten argued there was no suggestion the material would be used for any terrorism related activity.

Related:

What are the dangerous chemicals police found when they went fishing?

If police say they were making bombs when they were painting motor vehicles then the only terrorist act that wasn't prevented was when police went on a fishing expedition.

More:  http://melbourne.indymedia.org/news/2005/11/98952.php