I very much disagree. Besides BAOs, no TSA employee is certified to evaluate non-volatile explosives from volatile ones. However, if the potential explosive or IED component is detected while the bag is in the x-ray, well, what you are looking at is a computer generated image, not "live" parts. It then becomes very difficult to say with certainty what exactly you are looking at. Precautions have to be taken. To do otherwise could potentially get people killed from stupidity.

No, if an x-ray operator suspects that there may be explosives or other IED components in a bag, and the BAO confirms that, even if not assembled or even if only one part of the IED is visible, prudence would tell you to call the bomb squad, as they are equipped to handle such situations.

And I want to point out something very important here which seems to be a very hard concept for those who have not worked x-ray to understand (based on my understanding of reading hundreds of post here on FT - so no insult meant): x-ray machines have limits. Do NOT assume a bag is put into the x-ray reveals everything in the bag. It very well may not. As I have tried to explain multiple times before using x-ray to screen bags is not the most thorough method; it potentially allows things to go through. And one thing you ALWAYS have to ask yourself when you decide to clear or threat a bag or call a supervisor to contact the BAO is, "what am I, what are we, NOT seeing on this screen?"

As example, under training from the BAOs, they have show me and other TSA employees complete IEDs (simulations) in bags where you only see 1 part of the IED. Its all there, but only 1 part can be seen.

So I believe calling the bomb squad is the correct thing to do when there is suspected IED parts in a bag (note: there is a process that has to be followed before the bomb squad is called, which of course I will not go into, and which so far I have seen no one has picked up on. Sorry.).