Bombs & Explosives

Explosives can be Legit 0 Mining 0 Military operations 0 Fireworks

Types of Bombs 0 Explosive – employs either a liquid, powder, or solid explosive material 0 Incendiary devices – flammable and intended to start a fire 0 Or both!

Classifications? 0 Classified according to the speed in which they react High explosives like dynamite, trinitrotoluene (TNT), C-4 and acetone peroxide react at a rate faster than the speed of sound and cause a loud detonation (These are tightly controlled so they’re not easily procured!) Low explosives like gunpowder, smokeless powder or fireworks burns much slower. More predictable and safe.

Explosion Differences High explosives detonate since this reaction is faster than the speed of sound Low explosives deflagrate since its not a shock wave explosion

Initial Blast 0 Most damaging phase of an explosion, also called shock waves 0 Radiates rapidly outward from the epicenter 0 A wave of highly compressed air that inflicts the primary damage to structures and people

Initial Blast Damage 0 Violently expels fragments of the casing and shrapnel such as nails or screws that may have been added to the device 0 Also explodes material around it to contribute to injuries 0 May also produce high heat and a fireball that could start secondary fires or explosions

Pipe Bomb 0 One of the most common encountered by a bomb squad 0 It is a section of pipe that usually contains a low explosive powder mixture with both ends capped and a fuse inserted into the explosive powder 0 When it explodes, shards of pipe fly out at rapid speeds 0 Hard casing: large fragments, Soft casing: smaller fragments

IEDs 0 Improvised explosive devices 0 Common involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan wars 0 Anything from a letter bomb to a roadside bomb 0 Employ 4 key components: a power supply, initiator, explosive material, and a switch

Typical IEDs 0 Combine an explosive main charge with an electrical fusing system that can contain components from a device such as a mobile phone or garage door opener

Incendiary Devices 0 Weapons designed to start fires or destroy sensitive equipment using fire 0 Molotov cocktail – a glass bottle containing a mixture of flammable liquids, then a rag or fuse is attached and lit just before the bottle is thrown (which then ignites the liquid upon impact)

When/Why do we Examine 0 Bomb squads are called in to investigate a variety of situations from a backpack left on a street corner to a bomb threat at a school/workplace 0 #1 job: identify the potential threats and restore safety 0 Bomb squad can ID the type of explosive & the scope of the threat so law enforcement can determine if it’s a terrorist attack or an isolated incident

Aurora, Colorado 0 Shooter left a crazy booby-trapped apartment after he opened fire at the premiere of Batman in After several days technicians extracted 30 home- made IEDs 0 Water was used to disable a control box & the bombs were carted out in buckets of sand to be detonated in an unpopulated area 0 Shooter intended on bombs exploding via a series of trip wires to go off when someone opened the door of his apartment

Bomb Bomb Bomb 0 There are a few high-prof bombings that receive widespread attention like the Boston Marathon bombing in April 2013 and the bombing of the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City in April HOWEVER, most involve residential properties, mailboxes, vehicles in plots of revenge and vandalism

Investigate 0 Start by thoroughly documenting the condition of the scene; include structural damage, and injuries or fatalities 0 Fragments of the exploded device will often be left intact, like switches, wiring, timers, and circuit boards

Investigate 0 Explosions also leave behind a residue 0 To ID the type of explosive, investigators may use an ion mobility spectrometer (IMS) 0 IMS is a handheld chemical detection device used to identify residues present around the blast site

Investigate 0 Collect the physical evidence 0 Photograph, package material, place into containers, label & secure 0 Possibly obtain video footage from a security camera or witnesses’ cell phones 0 Interview witnesses and victims to gather crucial details

Collect Safely! 0 If the bomb is undetonated, do not touch!!! An undetonated bomb should never be moved unless conducted by a qualified bomb technician. 0 Technicians will often use robotic equipment to take pictures of the device or even detonate it 0 These robots are fitted with a device that shoots a high velocity jet of water into the device 0 Once you can safely move the bomb, law enforcement can come in and begin their investigation

Collect Safely! 0 Techs can also use portable X-ray tools to examine a suspicious package to determine if it is harboring an explosive 0 This is what TSA does in the airport with your luggage

Preforming Analysis 0 Once the device is safe, an investigator can search for leads in persons responsible for creating and deploying 0 Large fragments? Get some DNA or fingerprints! 0 DNA profs are compared to records in the FBI’s national Combined DNA Index System database “CODIS”

Preforming Analysis 0 Post-blast residues are analyzed using a variety of techniques like IR spec, gas chromatography, mass spec, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, Raman spec, and more

Background Check 0 Explosives are compared to national databases that are maintained to ID trends in the manufacture of explosives 0 These databases track bomb and device designs used by serial bombers and terrorists 0 Include FBI’s Terrorist Explosive Device Analytical Center, ATF’s Arson and Explosives National Repository, and the National Fire Incident Reporting System

The Out-Come of an Analysis 0 Determine type of explosion that occurred 0 Type of explosive material 0 ID any explosive precursors, like diesel fuel or ammonium nitrate in fertilizer

Who’s on the Squad? 0 Chemists who are specially trained to examine items for explosive residues 0 Explosive device specialists who have a knowledge of electrical components and expertise in device reconstruction and post- blast damage

Terrorist IEDs 0 Special analysis by the FBI’s Terrorist Explosive Device Analytical Center (TEDAC) 0 TEDAC is located at the FBI Lab in Quantico, VA! 0 IEDs collected from around the world are sent to TEDAC for forensic examination

Limitations 0 Even though extensive evidence can be gathered, signatures aren’t always left behind that can lead to the person responsible 0 If the explosion is massive it can be hard to canvas and ID the fusing system 0 Also, inclement weather. Rain can wash away explosive residues and make analysis difficult

Analysis Report 0 Explosive identified 0 How the device was constructed & how it functions 0 Related investigative material (fragments) 0 Post-blast report would contain pictures, a site diagram with measurements, location, circuitry 0 Possible fingerprints, DNA, residues, unique features, etc.

Works Cited 0 investigator.net/SimplifiedGuideExplosives.pdf investigator.net/SimplifiedGuideExplosives.pdf 0