Experts say the ISIS soda can bomb wouldn't be too hard to make

A photo being circulated by the Islamic State claims to show the improvised explosive device that brought down a Russian airplane over the Sinai Peninsula in October, and experts say if it's real, it's nothing new and would be relatively easy for an experienced bomb maker to build.

The New York Times asked several bomb-disposal technicians to look at the photo, which appeared in the online propaganda magazine Dabiq. It shows a soda can with a hole in the bottom, wires that are likely electrical connections for the blasting cap, and a component with a manual switch, covered with black tape. As C.J. Chivers of the Times points out, there is no evidence this was the actual device on the plane, or a replica, and could just be making the rounds to impress ISIS members and potential recruits or to be a red herring for law enforcement.

The can has a hole in the bottom, and could show a white substance; the experts say the contents are likely solid. One said the can could have been packed with enough explosive to seriously damage the plane; if the jetliner wasn't destroyed by the initial blast, it could have set off a chain of events that would cause the plane to break apart. Not every piece is clear, and one expert told the Times the photo was taken so key components were covered by black tape. "You can't tell what it is under there, or what it isn't," he said.

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