# Why does the FBI want suspected terrorists tongue depressors? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 20, 2009, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-fbi-want-suspected-terrorists-tongue-depressors/510849 "2009-09-20T17:42:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mike.V](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Mike.V](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mike.V)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2009, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-fbi-want-suspected-terrorists-tongue-depressors/510849/1 "2009-09-20T17:42:18Z")
As part of the investigation into the potential/alleged/suspected/speculated terror plot in New York the FBI raided the Queens apartment in which one of the suspects stayed. From the _New York Times_, [Federal Agents Arrest 3 Men in Terror Inquiry](http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/21/us/21terror.html?pagewanted=1&hp): > [@](#): > > As he spoke he displayed a several pages of search warrants that agents left with him after the Monday raid. The court papers outlined two pages of items to be seized, specifying that they wanted anything to do with explosives or their building blocks: chemicals, fusing caps, timers or blasting caps, among other things. > > But the papers also listed what the authorities left with: cellphones; a laptop computer; papers and notebooks with Arabic writing; tools; **100 tongue depressors** ; a Con Edison bill; immigration papers and nine backpacks. What am I missing here? Why on earth would they be interested in 100 tongue depressors? ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2009, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-fbi-want-suspected-terrorists-tongue-depressors/510849/2 "2009-09-20T19:09:06Z")
People use them to mix stuff. Like paint (or explosives). ---
**Author:** ![Mike.V](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Mike.V](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mike.V)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2009, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-fbi-want-suspected-terrorists-tongue-depressors/510849/3 "2009-09-20T19:19:08Z")
[strokes chin] makes sense… thanks **friedo**! ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2009, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-fbi-want-suspected-terrorists-tongue-depressors/510849/4 "2009-09-20T19:22:35Z")
Force us to say “Alahhhhh…” ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2009, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-fbi-want-suspected-terrorists-tongue-depressors/510849/5 "2009-09-20T22:00:36Z")
Um…bioagents? ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2009, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-the-fbi-want-suspected-terrorists-tongue-depressors/510849/6 "2009-09-20T22:32:11Z")
Maybe one of their kids has an upcoming art project. Through forensics they could possible track where they have been as wood often absorbs things in the environment. Maybe they suspect the tongue depressors were used for the named purpose and could check for DNA samples. Maybe its to justify certain warrants in the future 'these terrorists had tounge depressors and when i looked into so and so’s room he had a box of them so you should give us a warrant to search for small items like tongue depressors. I think the art project is the most likely