Just when we thought they were safe at home ...
In less than two months, two youngsters have seriously injured themselves while making bombs with instructions they gleaned from the internet. The incidents may well be isolated, but there is enough similarity in their circumstances to raise worrying questions. Last month, a 17-year-old lost all five fingers on his left hand after setting off an explosion while making a grenade with paper-cap powder. Yesterday, a 13-year-old boy was seriously hurt when a bomb he was making exploded. Two of his classmates were also arrested in their homes. The incidents should raise alarm bells among parents and educators.
What is particularly disturbing about the latest incident is that the boys were allegedly experimenting with triacetone triperoxide (TATP), a highly explosive compound that has been used in terrorist attacks overseas, including a thwarted attempt by 'shoe bomber' Richard Reid to blow up a transatlantic flight in 2001. A precursor to the compound can be bought over the counter from shops that sell industrial chemicals; and bomb-making information is just a few keystrokes away on the internet. YouTube, for example, contains plenty of video clips that show people how to make bombs from a variety of widely available chemicals, including TATP.
There is no indication the boys had any use for the chemicals other than making bombs for fun. Children love playing with fire. Making bombs stems from the same curiosity - one which, unfortunately, is easily satisfied by scanning the internet.
Laws exist in many countries that ban the worst of online pornography, and 'nanny software' is widely used by parents to block internet websites that display sexual content. However, there is nothing comparable available to screen out undesirable websites that teach people how to make bombs and other weapons. Yet the information they provide may be even more dangerous, and potentially deadly.
Two incidents do not amount to a trend, but they do point to a dangerous combination - young children's fascination with bombs and their use of the internet. It may well be that the boys who allegedly experimented with TATP are essentially no different from children who play with firecrackers. But parents who think their children are at home and must therefore be safe are being lured into a false sense of security. Cyberspace has exposed children to new dangers and created plenty of opportunities for them to commit mischief, even when they do not leave their bedrooms. Wise parents need to be aware of their children's online activities, even if they want to respect their privacy and independence.
