Counter-Terrorism: Missiles Gone To Pieces

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August 10, 2006: The U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency, in an effort to assist American counterterrorism efforts, has prepared a PowerPoint presentation showing the components of various portable anti-aircraft missile systems, so that police, customs officers and security screeners know what to look for. It is feared that terrorists will try to move these missile systems (the missile and its launcher) around in parts. The components, individually, look less like a missile system, than does the assembled system. Well, sort of. The launch tubes tend to be components that cannot be taken apart, even if all the removable components are removed. A launch tube always looks like a launch tube for something. But at least now people will know what a missile launcher battery looks like.