Pre-BlastExcerpt from ENN EMERGENCY SERVICES REPORT-Saturday, May 3, 1997 Vol. 1, No. 123
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FBI Explosives Unit-Bomb Data Center ...
Law enforcement is a difficult enough challenge without the added risk of improvised explosive devices. The damage wrought by bombs in this country is a pernicious horror, striking random, innocent victims, as seen in the devastating bombing of the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. Bombers are often indiscriminate and frequently evade law enforcement by the remote nature of their crimes, frustrating the investigators, the forensic scientists, the entire law enforcement community, and the public. Terrorists and criminals are able to utilize improvised explosive mixtures in combination with sophisticated fuzing systems. It is for these reasons that the resources of all law enforcement must unite and work together to combat terrorism. It is the commitment of the FBI to use the resources of their Laboratory Division's Explosive Unit-Bomb Data Center to support the fight against bombings nationwide and worldwide.
Explosives Unit-Bomb Data Center
The Laboratory Division's Explosives Unit and Bomb Data Center joined forces in October 1994. Both units have been in operation since the early seventies and have made a tremendous impact on the bombing investigation and technicians' communities by way of training, technical support, and laboratory analyses. The consolidation of the units has served to strengthen the FBI's mission to serve the bombing investigator and bomb disposal technician. Outlined below are the many distinct responsibilities of the Explosives Unit-Bomb Data Center (EU-BDC).
Pre-Blast
As part of their pre-blast functioning, the EU-BDC oversees the technical training of all public safety bomb disposal personnel at the Hazardous Devices School (HDS), Redstone Arsenal, Huntsville, Alabama. Since 1981, the FBI has funded and administered the HDS through the EU-BDC when Congress mandated that the FBI would assume this responsibility. HDS is the only school in the United States that trains public safety officials as bomb disposal technicians. To date, over 5,000 technicians have graduated from the Basic course and 4,000 have received refresher training.
In response to requests for explosives-related technical support for special events, the unit possesses two bomb disposal trucks and total containment vessels. Each bomb truck contains all the necessary render safe equipment to include a bomb disposal robot, bomb protective suits, screening and disruption equipment. This equipment provides a response package with a variety of low risk options for a render safe operation. The technical support offered is in keeping with the unit's philosophy in using remote and safe procedures unless a life threatening situation leaves no other alternative. Recently, the unit provided operational support at the 1996 Summer Olympics and at the Democratic and Republican National Conventions.
The EU-BDC also conducts extensive research and development for enhanced render safe procedures and technical equipment for bomb disposal personnel. The unit manages a variety of research programs involving remote render safe technology, detection of explosives, and neutralization techniques for explosive devices.
As part of their publications program, the unit collects, collates, and distributes technical and statistical information about improvised explosive, incendiary, and hoax devices; render safe procedures; explosives research; and information about bomb technician equipment. In addition to an annual statistical digest, the principal publications of the EU-BDC are as follows:
-- Special Technician Bulletins contain technical information intended for HDS trained bomb technicians. Detailed in this type of publication are render safe techniques, specialized equipment, unusual improvised explosive devices, and technical safety information.
-- Investigator Bulletins contain technical information useful to the public safety officer trained to conduct a bombing crime scene investigation. This technical data includes information on bomb construction and potential crime scene hazards.
-- General Information Bulletins delineate the results of private tests on bomb handling and detection equipment, general evacuation procedures, and the elements necessary for good physical security.
Post Blast
In post blast situations the primary function of the EU-BDC is to forensically examine bombing evidence to identify bomb components. During a bombing examination, the EU-BDC serves as the primary laboratory unit for conducting the examination. Evidence is received, documented, photographed, and distributed to other units for document exams (indented writing, typewriter comparison, photocopier identification, etc.), hairs and fibers' exams, DNA, fingerprint, materials analysis, and explosive residue and accelerant examinations.
The unit oversees these examinations and conducts toolmark and device intercomparisons to determine links between bombing incidents. In addition, examiners frequently conduct explosive tests to determine the overall design of the device. Together with the FBI's Special Projects Section, charts and drawings depicting the construction of the device can also be created to clarify the intended functioning of the device. The Special Agents in the unit provide expert testimony in federal and state courts concerning their work.
After examining explosive remains in order to link the craftsmanship of serial bombers, the EU-BDC can reconstruct models of explosive devices. Information about the design characteristics, materials, and details of the construction of the bomb becomes the bomber's signature for a particular incident and aids in identifying the bomber.
The EU-BDC also provides on-site explosives-related technical support in crisis situations to federal, state, local, and international law enforcement agencies. The unit was responsible for processing the crime scene and examining the forensic evidence from the Oklahoma City bombing, the UNABOM bombings, and the World Trade Center bombing.
In addition, the unit conducts function tests on explosive devices that have new and unusual construction features to find out if they are workable. This helps the examiners in estimating the device's destructive potential. The EU-BDC also tests new explosives and fuzing system products that criminals are likely to use in the construction of improvised explosive devices. These tests provide valuable information to the bombing investigator in the recognition of products after an explosion has occurred.
Training
In direct support of the FBI's domestic and international terrorism programs, the EU-BDC provides training in bombing investigations and explosive device recognition. The unit conducts a Post Blast Investigators school where bombing evidence collection, preservation, and evaluation is stressed. This seminar is only available to public safety personnel with investigative responsibilities in bombing cases. The unit also teaches regional Bomb Technician seminars. The topics covered include the construction and use of improvised explosive devices, techniques for remote neutralization, discussions of research and development, and a review of new technical equipment. This seminar is only available to trained bomb technicians who are graduates of the HDS.
In keeping with its mission for bomb technician safety and professionalism, the EU-BDC holds the Bomb Squad Commander's Conference every eighteen months. Bomb squad commanders from across the United States attend these conferences. Topics covered have included bomb squad management and safety, domestic and international bombing trends, and an overview of bomb disposal techniques.
Computer Reference Library
The EU-BDC maintains the largest single computer reference library in the world for identification and comparison examination purposes. The Explosives Reference and Search System (EXPRESS) gives instant access to all of the resources of the unit including a unique device comparison module for the intercomparison of cases. This tool combines the text of FBI Laboratory reports with evidentiary photographs of bombing cases and allows the quick and accurate retrieval of information based upon any aspect of the forensic examination. This enables an EU-BDC analyst to search the database, find similar devices, and identify similarities in components used in the construction of an improvised explosive device.
Currently, the unit is designing a detonator and main charge identification database for commercial explosive products that it hopes to distribute to the bombing investigator and technicians' communities in the United States.
Conclusion
The EU-BDC's commitment is one of aiding the bomb technician and investigator communities through active support of major operations. This support includes enhanced training for bomb technicians and investigators, development of disrupter technology, and development of new ways of identifying explosive residues from improvised explosive mixtures. In addition, the unit provides equipment and personnel support to supplement state and local law enforcement in times of increased demand and reduced budgets. The EU-BDC is dedicated to providing the highest possible level of service and support to federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in the field of bombing investigations.
If you would like additional information about the EU-BDC or its programs, please contact them at:
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Laboratory Division
Explosives Unit-Bomb Data Center
J. Edgar Hoover Building, Room 3918
935 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. 20535-0001
Phone - (202) 324-2696
Facsimile - (202) 324-3784
* Courtesy of the Federal Bureau of Investigation