PREVIOUS NEWS
3/04/01 - A man blew himself up as he mingled within a crowd of pedestrians in the Israeli coastal city of Netanya. At least four people were killed. This attack occurred only one day after the military wing of HAMAS announced that it had ten suicide bombers poised for strikes in Israel in order to undermine the incoming government of Ariel Sharon.
BBC Offices Targeted by Car Bomb
3/04/01 - Authorities suspect that the Real IRA (RIRA) was responsible for an early morning car bomb attack on the London offices of the BBC. According to reports, police initiated an immediate evacuation of the area following a telephone call warning of the bomb. The bomb (hidden in a taxi) detonated while bomb disposal technicians were attempting RSP. One man was injured in the attack.
Car Bomb Kills Two in Spain
2/22/01 - Two people were killed and at least four wounded by a car bomb blast near a commuter train station in the city of San Sebastian. Although no one has claimed credit for the attack, the methods used in the attack strongly suggest ETA.
Two hours after the attack, Spanish radio announced that suspected ETA military chief Francisco Xavier Garcia Gaztelu had been arrested by French police in the town of Anglet.
Seven killed in Kosovo Bus Bombing
2/16/01 – At least seven Serbs were killed and forty wounded by a bomb attack on a convoy of buses near the town of Podujevo. The bomb appears to have been concealed in the roadway and command detonated while the bus convoy was passing. This is one of several recent attacks directed at the Kosovo Serb minority by Albanian militants.
ATTN: Bomb Technicians and Investigators
2/13/01 - As part of our research for Version 2.0 of the Bomb Countermeasures for Security Professionals CD-ROM, we are looking for the following items:
1. An example of an untrained security or first responding law enforcement officer who was injured or killed while trying to deactivate or move a suspect device. This example will be used to reinforce the importance of never touching or attempting to move a suspected bomb.
2. Photos of the markings or exterior construction of any mailings used for concealing mail bombs. These photos will be used to demonstrate mail bomb recognition clues and reinforce the importance of visual mail screening.
All photos submitted should be public domain. In most cases, photos entered into evidence for previous trials meet this definition. In appreciation for your support, we will provide your unit with a complimentary copy of the new Version 2.0 when it is ready for release. If you can assist, contact us by e-mail at: info@bombsecurity.com.
For a sneak preview of the new features in Version 2.0, click "Here."
Police Raid Bomb Factory in Northern Ireland
2/12/01 - Police in Belfast recovered a large quantity of explosives and partially manufactured IEDs at a bomb-making factory believed to be operated by Protestant paramilitaries. According to police, the pipe bombs recovered in the raid are very similar to those used in attacks on Catholic homes across the province. Although the characteristics of the devices suggest a possible connection to the Ulster Defence Association, the factory was located in a neighborhood dominated by the Ulster Volunteer Force (a rival of the UDA).
British National Suspected of Involvement in Hizbollah Bomb Plot
2/11/01 - Israeli authorities arrested Shoman Jihad, a British citizen, suspected of being sent to Israel to execute terrorist attacks by Hizbollah. Though reports suggest that the arrest was based on sound intelligence, no details have been released about the nature of the planned attacks.
ED. NOTE: This report bears similarity the 1997 arrest of a German citizen by Israeli Security Forces. According to authorities, the German was a convert to Islam who had been recruited by Hizbollah to execute a suicide bomb attack in Israel.
Two Israelis Injured by Car Bomb
2/08/01 - A car bomb explosion in Jerusalem’s Mea Shearim neighborhood injured two bystanders.
Moscow Subway Bombing Injures Three People
2/05/01 - A bomb placed under a bench in the busy Belorusskaya metro station injured three people. No one claimed responsibility for the attack.
Three Westerners Arrested for Bombings in Saudi Arabia
2/05/01 - A Briton, a Canadian, and a Belgian have been arrested by Saudi authorities in connection with two bombings that killed a British man and wounded four British nationals in November 2000. Shortly after the arrests, a statement was released by Saudi Interior Minister Prince Nayef and the three men appeared on Saudi television confessing to the bombings. The three suspects were identified as Alexander Mitchell (Britain), William Sampson (Canadian), and Raf Schifter (Belgian). Though the three men described how the attacks occurred in detail, there was no mention of motive or who ordered the execution of the bombings.
RECENT ADDITIONS & NEW LINKS
• A Guide for Explosion and Bombing Scene Investigation
U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice
• Significant Incidents of Political Violence Against Americans: 1998
(8.4 MB PDF) DS/DSS/ITA, US State Dept.
• COTS Blast Mitigation Resource Data Base
Blast Mitigation Action Group (maintained by TSWG)
Be sure to visit the Equipment Manufacturer's directory for new listings of manufacturers and distributors.
2001 Seminars and Workshops
4 Day Tactical Training Workshop
March 21-24, 2001
(Princeton, NJ)
A four day training program addressing the issues of Executive Protection, Counterterrorism, and IED Countermeasures. Instructed by Joseph Bannon, Ph.D and Craig Gundry, CPS (author of the Bomb Countermeasures for Security Professionals CD-ROM). Hosted and coordinated by S.T.A.R.T. and Executive Security International (Aspen, CO).
This seminar is open to all security and law enforcement professionals. Call (215) 247-5500 or e-mail the S.T.A.R.T. staff for details: americantacticalfighter@juno.com.
Terrorism Utilizing Weapons of Mass Destruction
March 23-25, 2001 (Hanover Township, PA)
April 27-29, 2001 (Bloomsburg, PA)
June 15-17, 2001 (Reading, PA)
A series of three one-day seminars designed to familiarize emergency responders and law enforcement personnel with issues pertaining to Weapons of Mass Destruction. Topics include large-scale explosive devices and chemical and biological WMD. Instructed by Craig Gundry, CPS and Dr. Harvey J. McGeorge. Hosted by the Pennsylvania Eastern Regional Counterterrorism Task Force.
Registration is restricted to active Pennsylvania emergency responders and police. Click here for more details.
Bomb Countermeasures
August 13-14, 2001 (Clearwater, FL)
A two-day seminar adressing a wide range of bomb security related issues. Instructed by Craig Gundry, CPS. Hosted by S-2 Security and Intelligence Institute.
Contact us for more details: info@bombsecurity.com
Bomb Security Workshop
September 2001 (Nassau, Bahamas)
Due to the excellent response we received from our December program in Nassau, we will be holding another two-day Bomb Security workshop in September 2001. This seminar will be hosted again by Preventative Measures (Nassau, Bahamas). Watch for more details and a confirmed schedule in the near future.
Would you like to sponsor a Bomb Countermeasures or WMD seminar in your city? If so, contact us at: Tel. (727) 897-9600 E-mail: info@bombsecurity.com
If you have news or an article that you would like us to post, E-Mail us at: info@bombsecurity.com
UPCOMING
EVENTS
February 12-16, 2001
ASLET Conference
(Orlando, FL)
May 8-10, 2001
Force Protection Equipment Demonstration III
(Quantico, VA)
June 24-29, 2001
IABTI International TrainingConference
(Albequerque, NM)
Bomb Countermeasures/
WMD Seminar Series
(see bottom of page for more details)
March 21-22, 2001
Bomb Countermeasures
(Princeton, NJ)
Hosted by S.T.A.R.T. and ESI
March 23, 2001
Terrorism Utilizing Weapons of Mass Destruction
(Hanover Township, PA)
Sponsored by PA Eastern Regional Counterterrorism Task Force
April 27, 2001
Terrorism Utilizing Weapons of Mass Destruction
(Bloomsburg, PA)
Sponsored by PA Eastern Regional Counterterrorism Task Force
June 15, 2001
Terrorism Utilizing Weapons of Mass Destruction
(Reading, PA)
Sponsored by PA Eastern Regional Counterterrorism Task Force
August 13-14, 2001
Bomb Countermeasures
(Tampa, FL)
Hosted by S-2 Institute
Bomb Threats as a Tactic of Malice
Though most authentic bomb threats are delivered with the intention of sparing innocent lives, many terrorist groups employ deceptive bomb threats as part of carefully planned operations designed to achieve specific strategic goals. Following are descriptions of a few of the most common “malicious” strategies associated with bomb threats.
The “Mousetrap”
A number of terrorist groups have used threat calls to deliberately target police and military personnel. In this situation, the bomb threat is used specifically to lure bomb disposal technicians to the location of a boobytrapped or remote-controlled device. In the later case, a terrorist observing from a nearby location activates the device once bomb technicians or police have entered the “kill zone.”
This type of tactic has been used on numerous occasions in Spain and Northern Ireland.
False Bomb Location
The objective of this type of scenario is to cause maximum casualties (and public fear). In this situation, the bomber places the call with prior knowledge of how police or security will evacuate the area. A device is then concealed near the suspected assembly point or along the evacuation route. Once people have collected at the assembly point, the device explodes (activated by time delay or remote-control).
The 1998 bombing in Omagh, Northern Ireland was a dramatic example of this. In the Omagh incident, a caller told police that a bomb was located outside of the local courthouse. To verify his authenticity, the caller provided a code word known only to the IRA and British authorities. The police initiated an immediate evacuation of the surrounding area. Forty minutes later, as people began to assemble a safe distance away from the courthouse, 500 pounds of explosive detonated in the evacuation zone--killing 28 people and injuring 220 others.
Short Warnings
In this scenario, the terrorists deliver a warning with full awareness that the police will not have sufficient time to evacuate the area, identify the device, and safely dispose of it. This places the police in a difficult position. Despite best efforts to respond, public attention after the attack easily shifts from the perpetrators to the police with speculations of "Why response wasn't more effective?". This increases public anxiety and erosion of the public's faith in the authorities. In addition to its psychological impact, short warnings increase risk to responders--particularly bomb technicians preparing or executing RSP.
As an operational tactic, short warnings have been used extensively by ETA and several other threat groups (including the PIRA).