EE_
9th December 2010, 05:54 PM
When a small box is left in a mall somewhere it is a big deal, but here?
Could Serbian George Jakubec actually be a _ _ _
Police Burn Down House They Say Was Bomb Factory
http://www.aolnews.com/article/police-to-burn-house-they-say-was-bomb-factory/19753862
ESCONDIDO, Calif. (Dec. 9) -- A San Diego-area house that authorities say doubled as the nation's largest bomb factory burned to the ground today with a plume of toxic smoke that reached 2,700 feet.
The spectacle was monitored by more than 100 personnel from a myriad of agencies that included the ATF, EPA, National Weather Service, and San Diego County Sheriff's bomb squad.
"You saw the fire -- it was very evil looking with flames four stories high," sheriff's spokeswoman Jan Caldwell told a horde of media monitoring the situation downhill. "It went all according to plan."
Sandy Huffaker, Getty Images
Flames engulf the rented home of George Jakubec after it was set ablaze by officials in Escondido, Calif., on Thursday. Jakubec was arrested after authorities discovered the largest supply of explosive materials in one location in U.S. history in his house.The single-story tract home in this upscale suburb was placed on the map Nov. 18 when a gardener stepped on a makeshift land mine that authorities believe was planted by tenant George Jakubec. The unemployed computer software consultant was arrested, and bomb squad officials soon determined the home was too dangerous to disarm. It was determined that burning it down was the only option.
The burn began shortly after 10:30 a.m. PST after extensive preparation that included cordoning off a half-mile area surrounding the house, shutting down a nearby freeway and restricting air space. Within an hour, the structure was just a skeleton and was expected to smolder for several hours.
Residents were evacuated to a Red Cross shelter at a nearby university and were told they may be allowed back home that evening after officials from the Environmental Protection Agency survey the area and deem it to be safe.
Jakubec's home was deemed to have the largest supply of explosive materials in one location in U.S. history, including PETN, the type of explosive used by the alleged underwear bomber and the shoe bomber. Other items found include a grenade mold, a bag with pieces of metal, wireless doorbells with remotes, handguns and a police uniform.
On Friday, a federal grand jury indicted Jakubec on eight counts of possessing destructive devices and bank robbery. He is being held without bail.
Wednesday, Jakubec was in court asking a judge to delay the burn so that he could gather evidence for his criminal case. This was denied.
Authorities went ahead with their coordinated effort of federal, state, and local officials -- a tactic that was learned after 911, Caldwell said.
The blaze was ignited with a remote device and an accelerant to ensure that it would burn at 1,800 degrees -- 600 degrees hotter than a normal house fire -- allowing all the hazardous materials to be consumed. A 16-foot-high metal-framed wall was constructed around the property to protect neighboring homes. It was coated with a flame-retardant gel.
Bomb experts will sift through the debris Friday to gather evidence and make sure no explosives were left behind.
Sponsored Links "It's scary. I've lived here for 30 years and you hear about murders and stabbings on the news, but none of it happens here," said neighbor Margrite Allen, 60. "You never expect the nation's largest bomb factory to be in your backyard. Do you really know your neighbor? There is a quiet guy who lives across the street from me and I'm starting to wonder."
Jakubec, 54, a Serbian immigrant, is an only child who is married with no children. He and his wife are on probation for a 2009 shoplifting conviction, according to KFMB-AM radio in San Diego.
His wife, Marina Ivanova, attended Jakubec's first court appearance, telling reporters, "He is a good man, I love him." But after hearing evidence in court she told a different story: "He is crazy, I think. He's lost his mind," East County magazine reported.
The couple is reportedly estranged and rent the property that was demolished.
Could Serbian George Jakubec actually be a _ _ _
Police Burn Down House They Say Was Bomb Factory
http://www.aolnews.com/article/police-to-burn-house-they-say-was-bomb-factory/19753862
ESCONDIDO, Calif. (Dec. 9) -- A San Diego-area house that authorities say doubled as the nation's largest bomb factory burned to the ground today with a plume of toxic smoke that reached 2,700 feet.
The spectacle was monitored by more than 100 personnel from a myriad of agencies that included the ATF, EPA, National Weather Service, and San Diego County Sheriff's bomb squad.
"You saw the fire -- it was very evil looking with flames four stories high," sheriff's spokeswoman Jan Caldwell told a horde of media monitoring the situation downhill. "It went all according to plan."
Sandy Huffaker, Getty Images
Flames engulf the rented home of George Jakubec after it was set ablaze by officials in Escondido, Calif., on Thursday. Jakubec was arrested after authorities discovered the largest supply of explosive materials in one location in U.S. history in his house.The single-story tract home in this upscale suburb was placed on the map Nov. 18 when a gardener stepped on a makeshift land mine that authorities believe was planted by tenant George Jakubec. The unemployed computer software consultant was arrested, and bomb squad officials soon determined the home was too dangerous to disarm. It was determined that burning it down was the only option.
The burn began shortly after 10:30 a.m. PST after extensive preparation that included cordoning off a half-mile area surrounding the house, shutting down a nearby freeway and restricting air space. Within an hour, the structure was just a skeleton and was expected to smolder for several hours.
Residents were evacuated to a Red Cross shelter at a nearby university and were told they may be allowed back home that evening after officials from the Environmental Protection Agency survey the area and deem it to be safe.
Jakubec's home was deemed to have the largest supply of explosive materials in one location in U.S. history, including PETN, the type of explosive used by the alleged underwear bomber and the shoe bomber. Other items found include a grenade mold, a bag with pieces of metal, wireless doorbells with remotes, handguns and a police uniform.
On Friday, a federal grand jury indicted Jakubec on eight counts of possessing destructive devices and bank robbery. He is being held without bail.
Wednesday, Jakubec was in court asking a judge to delay the burn so that he could gather evidence for his criminal case. This was denied.
Authorities went ahead with their coordinated effort of federal, state, and local officials -- a tactic that was learned after 911, Caldwell said.
The blaze was ignited with a remote device and an accelerant to ensure that it would burn at 1,800 degrees -- 600 degrees hotter than a normal house fire -- allowing all the hazardous materials to be consumed. A 16-foot-high metal-framed wall was constructed around the property to protect neighboring homes. It was coated with a flame-retardant gel.
Bomb experts will sift through the debris Friday to gather evidence and make sure no explosives were left behind.
Sponsored Links "It's scary. I've lived here for 30 years and you hear about murders and stabbings on the news, but none of it happens here," said neighbor Margrite Allen, 60. "You never expect the nation's largest bomb factory to be in your backyard. Do you really know your neighbor? There is a quiet guy who lives across the street from me and I'm starting to wonder."
Jakubec, 54, a Serbian immigrant, is an only child who is married with no children. He and his wife are on probation for a 2009 shoplifting conviction, according to KFMB-AM radio in San Diego.
His wife, Marina Ivanova, attended Jakubec's first court appearance, telling reporters, "He is a good man, I love him." But after hearing evidence in court she told a different story: "He is crazy, I think. He's lost his mind," East County magazine reported.
The couple is reportedly estranged and rent the property that was demolished.