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South Texas HIDTA

Intelligence Center
Ca||aghan Rd

Suite 400
San Antonio, Texas 78229
(210)207-2495
FAX (2 10) 2007-23 19

SAFETY ALERT
To: All Law Enforcement
From: South Texas HIDTA Intelligence Center
CC: File
Date: 10/10/01
Re: Safety Alert

CIGARETTE LIGHTER WITH CONCEALED KNIFE


Courtesy of Senior Inspector Mauricio Vidaurri

The FBI at the United Airlines Flight 93 crash scene (Stoney Creek Township, PA) recovered
a commercially manufactured cigarette lighter that contained a concealed knife blade. The
recovered item was badly damaged. Preliminary FBI Laboratory forensic examination of the
item revealed the cigarette lighter to be approximately 0.65" in diameter and the recovered
butane cylinder was approximately 2 %" in length with a knife blade approximately 2 1/2" in
length. Due to the damaged condition of the item, the actual original length, diameter,
appearance and shape of the lighter cannot be positively identified. The knife was non-
functional when received in the FBI Laboratory. However, preliminary examination indicates
that the apparent intended mode of operation for extension of the knife blade appears to be a
slide switch near the top of the lighter to facilitate extension of the blade.

Similar commercially available models have spring-loaded blades that extend directly out of
the top of the lighter. FBI Laboratory research indicates that a number of similar knives are
commercially available concealed in other common objects, such as pens, keys, belts, belt
buckles, and lipstick containers. Small items that produce a positive response upon
magnetometer inspection should be required to undergo radiographic examination.

Photographic exemplars of some of these items are available for reference purposes.

Source: Border Coordination Intelligence Bulletin August 2001


SA01-10

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CO
0)
CONCEALED KNIFE/CIGARETTE
LIGHTER
Evidence recovered from the Pittsburgh Division crash scene in
the TWIN TOWERS terrorist attack includes a commercially
manufactured knife/cigarette lighter. The item recovered in the search
of the crash scene was badly damaged. Laboratory forensic
examination of the knife revealed the cigarette lighter was
approximately 0.65" in diameter and the recovered butane cylinder was
approximately 2 %" in length. Due to the damaged condition of the
item, the actual original length, diameter and shape of the lighter
cannot be positively identified. The knife was non-functional when
received in the FBI Laboratory, however, preliminary examination
indicates that the apparent intended mode of operation for extension of
the knife blade appears to be a slide switch near the top of the lighter
to facilitate extension of the blade.

Similar commercially available models have spring-loaded


blades which extend directly out of the top of the lighter. FBI
Laboratory research indicates that a number of similar knives are
commercially available concealed in other common objects, such as
pens, keys, belts, belt buckles, and lipstick containers. Small items
which produce a positive response upon magnetometer inspection
should be required to undergo radiographic examination.

Photographic exemplars of some of these items are available


for reference purposes.

i
nest*
UNCLASSIFIED

Duct Tape

Crash Sit
18 010913013 HC

10/1/01

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