On the other hand I doubt it. I suspect that copper and tin were made illegal by early government tyrants to prevent people from making weapons out of bronze.

And then later on iron was probably made illegal by government tyrants to prevent people from making weapons.

Source

Arizona defendant in bomb-making case on FBI radar since fall

by JJ Hensley - Feb. 3, 2011 12:00 AM

The Arizona Republic

No one will say when Jeffery Harbin first came to the attention of federal authorities, but by mid-November, the reputed White supremacist from Apache Junction was squarely in the sights of the FBI.

Authorities allege Harbin, 28, had been manufacturing homemade explosives at the home of his girlfriend, Heather Harner, when Harner told an undercover informant with the FBI that she was concerned by his activities.

Two months later, Harbin was in federal custody and facing charges of possessing and transporting explosive devices after agents arrested him leaving the home of the informant.

Harbin, described in court documents as a member of the National Socialist Movement, a reputed White-supremacist organization, pleaded not guilty to the allegations at his arraignment Wednesday in U.S. District Court.

According to those court documents, Harner told the informant in November that Harbin had manufactured about 6 gallons of aluminum powder, an explosive used as a propellant. Harner also told the informant that Harbin spent about $200 on model-rocket engines to be used with the aluminum powder.

But federal agents do not believe Harbin was interested in building model rockets.

"Jeffery Harbin built these (improvised explosive devices) in such a way as to maximize human carnage," Dennis Burke, U.S. attorney for Arizona, said when Harbin was recently indicted.

During a phone call in early January, Harbin was told the informant "was interested in making 'trip' or 'smoke' flares for operations along the Arizona-Mexico border and asked Harbin to assist," according to court documents.

About a week later, Harbin was at the informant's home with two large plastic tubs and a "homemade grenade" that Harbin described as his "little baby," according to federal agents who were listening in on the conversation through a recording device hidden on the informant.

The informant also told agents that Harbin brought a "pipe bomb complete with end caps and a model-rocket engine igniter fusing system," according to court documents.

Arizona Department of Public Safety officers pulled Harbin over a short time after he left the informant's home. When federal agents searched Harbin's vehicle, they found three improvised explosive devices among other items, including wires, fuses, model-rocket engines and chemicals.

"The defendant was intercepted, and the devices he created were disabled before they could be used to potentially inflict grave human harm," Burke said.

Maricopa resident Harry Hughes, a member of the National Socialist Movement, said Harbin was no longer considered a member of the group because Harbin had not attended recent meetings.

Hughes said the last time he saw Harbin was at a National Socialist Movement rally in downtown Phoenix in November.

"I've never seen him use anything like that. I never really would have expected him to be involved in things like that," Hughes said of the explosives. "I anticipate this is just like many of these other cases, where these people are hoodwinked into doing something they wouldn't do for one reason or another."

Messages left with Harbin's attorney were not returned Wednesday.

A man who identified himself as a cousin of Harbin declined to comment after a brief court hearing Wednesday.

Harner, whose concerns reportedly launched the investigation, threatened to file harassment charges against reporters who tried to contact her.

"You're not going to get anything," she said.