Plausible.
But you don’t need to use real explosives to make a plausible fake. But it makes it much more likely the package could be flagged by the explosive detectors used at mail sort facilities. Which means its much less likely your hoax makes it through far enough to cause much of a reaction. Obiously thats not how it worked out, but its also inconsistent with speculation that the pvc was used to avoid metal detectors or confuse xrays.
It also means a decent chance of accidental detonation. As stable as gun powder is, black power (the only specifically mentioned explosive so far) especially isn’t inert. There all sorts of ways it can go off unexpectedly. If the goal is to scare people without the possibility or consequences of actually harming them. Or risking harming them. Then that’s a really bad way to do it.
Just caught an update on the news. The NYPD is still calling them “potential improvised explosive devices”, but also still stressing these things are legitimately dangerous.
“Law enforcement sources” are saying at least some of devices contained shards of glass and shrapnel. Earlier reports, also unsourced, have claimed at least some devices were not wired to explode when opened. Which is very different than not wired to explode at all. And it doesn’t seem clear which was the intended meaning as I’ve seen that reported with and without the “when opened” proviso.
At this point I’d say say real bombs not meant to explode is more plausible than fake bombs woth real explosive. But who knows.
