The attempt on Musharraf’s life sounds like it came even closer than I realized:
The sophisticated bomb — initially estimated to contain 550 pounds of explosives — was believed to include both a remote control and a timing device to trigger it, two intelligence officials told AP.
Jamming equipment in Musharraf’s limousine stopped the timer for about a minute and also jammed the remote control, the officials said.
‘‘It was enough time for Musharraf to cross the bridge,” one of the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The jammers emit a magnetic impulse to block frequencies used to trigger bombs — including the electronic signals from precision timers. Defense analyst Talat Masood said that security agencies worldwide use such equipment, and it had been imported to Pakistan.
Musharraf said he heard and felt the blast between 30 seconds and a minute after he crossed the bridge. There were no injuries as the bridge was blocked to traffic to let his motorcade pass.
Scary, scary stuff. I can’t express how bad it would’ve been if this succeeded.
No wonder electronic jamming equipment is on everyone’s Christmas list year.