When I was in the British Army almost everyone wore this watch (actually the green light version whatever that is called). I used to carry two in case the one on my wrist became damaged. I think it's just a universal soldier thing, not a suspected terrorist or bomb-making thing.
For my use, I guessed that the date function (on a mechanical watch) is what eats the battery, and indeed, this watch has a very long battery life.
Even today where you'll have an electronic optics, laser designator, night vision, a bunch of different radios, and even PDA's if you are in the US, but still no bloody watch.
Can't navigate without one properly, can't know if you are keeping the correct pace when on patrol, can't know when you need to get up to a watch or when you are about to be replaced, can't calculate the distance of enemy fire can't do squat without a watch, but still they don't give you one.
Of course there was always one joker who bought the bright-pink edition ;)
Having a watch is very important when you are in the military it's used for every activity and for navigating.
"Terrorists" use it for the same reason you can't organize anything without accurate and available time keeping.
The Casio is reliable, cheap, durable and lasts for decades.
It’s a statement of cool detachment and a brilliant
way of blowing up explosives.
Is there some reason the watch is "a brilliant way of blowing up explosives" compared to any other watch on the market? Or has the journalist just made that up?
As opposed to watches made in the US or Europe? Aren't most electronics made in China/Japan anyways?
When you make a detonator, you really, really want it to work.
If you show someone "the wires go here and here" on a specific model you don't need to teach them "real" electronics, and theres less uncertainty that the final product will function.
e.g. Arduino is rarely the best mcu for any given application, but it's popular because a) its easily to source and b) there are plenty of "recipes" to follow which don't require much expertise.
My personal guess as to popularity : volume. Those watches are everywhere.
I wonder want few words would implicate me as a terrorist?
Last three keywords I used: stack blow unsigned
Timex being an American company is less likely both historically and now to sell in say Iran, Iraq or Syria than a Japanese or even a European company.
Historically as far as electronics, cars and similar things go Asian and European brands are more common in the Middle East than American ones.
The UK issues these watches
http://www.cwcwatch.com/collections/general-service-watches/...
I only ever saw them when checking stores - Q would never actually let you take it out and use it!
Maybe you were 'issued' them as well, but like ours they're never let out of the stores?
This could be a hold over from habits established before cell phones became common. Back before, say, the '90s, most people in the US (and I assume in most other first world countries) from their teens onward had a watch.
Perhaps militaries assumed that everyone coming in would already have a watch.
Furthermore, watches were often of great sentimental value, and many people would have viewed the military telling them what watch to wear as being as absurd as, say, issuing a standard military wedding ring to married soldiers to replace their civilian wedding ring.
As long as a soldier's watch was accurate and reliable enough for military needs, they probably saw no reason to not let the soldier use his own watch.