Gunpowder in Boston bombs likely from fireworks

[Ban Hammer 13,340]

A New Hampshire fireworks store has told the FBI that it sold four-hundred dollars worth of fireworks in February to accused Boston bomber Tamerlan Tsarnaev.

The gunpowder in fireworks is often used in bombs.

"He just wanted the biggest, loudest stuff we had in the store," said Megan Kearns, the assistant manager of Phantom Fireworks, in an interview with ABC News affiliate WMUR.

Kearns said Tsarnaev -- the older of the two brothers now accused in the blast -- bought two large reloadable mortar kits during a two for one sale. She said she remembered Tamerlan because of his Russia accent. The store has since confirmed his purchase with store records.

"Pretty much the only thing that was remarkable about him was that he had a Russian accent, which we don't get too many people in here who have Russian accents," she said.

The amount of gunpowder that could be harvested from the kits—less than half a pound—would not have been enough to detonate the Boston bombs, Phantom Fireworks VP William Weimer said.

Fireworks have often been used by terrorists to power their bombs, including by the man who tried but failed to detonate a car bomb in Times Square. He bought fireworks from a different Phantom Fireworks store, in Pennsylvania.

"Fireworks will give you what you need in terms of blast," said Kevin Barry, Retired Detective First Grade, NYPD Bomb Squad.

Barry told ABC News that while the ingredients are easily purchased – the actual assembly instructions are still hard to find and follow.

"What it seems they did was purchased commercially manufactured mortars, ripped them down and ripped out the powder," he said. "When you confine this powder in a pressure cooker it is very powerful."

The charging document filed in the case against 19-year-old Dzhokhar Tsarnaev also notes that FBI agents found "a large pyrotechnic" in his college dorm room.

Federal agents have analyzed the two pressure cooker bombs used in the Boston Marathon attack and confirmed early speculation that the other components were also built largely, if not entirely of commercially available items, including parts of a remote control toy car, BBs and small nails.

The analysis was circulated to law enforcement agencies Tuesday evening in a federal law enforcement joint intelligence bulletin.

The report notes that a similar device was found in the thwarted 2010 attempt to set off explosives in Times Square.

"Terrorists can exploit the innocuous appearance and transportability of pressure cookers to conceal IED components," the bulletin says.

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[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

The amount of gunpowder that could be harvested from the kits—less than half a pound—would not have been enough to detonate the Boston bombs, Phantom Fireworks VP William Weimer said.

[GandD 5,966]

Yeah, Sandanista! posted an article that mentioned this. Hers said that they think the guys may have tried to use the firework's gunpowder as the explosive medium during the testing phase but gave up.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Yeah, Sandanista! posted an article that mentioned this. Hers said that they think the guys may have tried to use the firework's gunpowder as the explosive medium during the testing phase but gave up.

Yep. Most of that stuff provides the push to get the mortar in the air. If they could detonate easily, it wouldn't be a mortar. There is a small bursting charge, and the rest is things that burn pretty colors.

[spookyturtle 9,465]

I'm headin' up to NH to stock up on fireworks before the Kenyan bans them. Hurry! Buy Fireworks!!!

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

I'm headin' up to NH to stock up on fireworks before the Kenyan bans them. Hurry! Buy Fireworks!!!

The Kenyan will be the fireworks salesman of the year!

Edited April 25, 2013 by Mr. Big Dog