IED Theory Test

Categories of device

• Non-explosive anti-personnel devices: e.g. arrow booby traps

• Explosive devices: Inflict maximum damage through blast effect. Consists of initiation system, detonator and main explosive charge.

• Incendiary devices: Inflict injury/damage by burning. Consists of initiation system, igniter, and incendiary composition.

• Explosive and Incendiary devices: Inflict injury/damage through blast + burning effect. Consists of initiation system, detonator, explosive charge and incendiary composition.

IEDs Modes of Activation (MOA)

• Delay (Time)

• Anti-handling

• Ambient

• Command

• Multi-mode

Neutralization techniques and render safe

• Gagging - prevent movement of mechanical device

• Separation - separation of chemical substance and detonator from main charge + electrical component

• De-arming - replacing safety device + pins (applicable to percussion + non-e firing train)

• Freezing - liquid oxygen / nitrogen applied (lower temperature reduces firing potential)

• Submerging - submerge IED in oil (stop clock, saturate various explosives/chemical mixture)

Collapsing circuit

• Electromagnetic transducer (e.g. relay, reed switch) keeps two contacts apart while electric current is passing through

• When energizing current is cut off or becomes insufficient due to battery decay, the contacts will close to complete a separate firing circuit

• Dual role of collapsing circuit:

  • Anti-handling: When any part of the energizing circuit is cut. Terrorists adopts many way to entice the operator into cutting the circuit.

  • Delay action: Battery drains over time until it can no longer supply sufficient energizing current to hold the contacts apart

Hand entry

Considerations for performing hand entry

• Presence of booby traps or secondary devices

• Presence of time devices

• Moving IED from its original site

• Means of gaining access

• Best points of entry

Hand Entry - Conditions

• Understand design of circuitry

• Better chance of success

• IED cannot be moved + situation cannot tolerate detonation

• Cat A situation

Car bomb - Why is it popular?

• It is transport for the terrorist and his bomb

• Large quantities of explosive can be carried easily

• Cars are not readily suspected

• Prevents difficulty in access to the EOD operator because parts of car may be wired to initiate the device

• High success rate, and its propaganda effect upon general public

Car bomb - Categories

• Anti-personnel: Kill a specific occupant or occupants of a vehicle by explosives. 3lbs of explosives placed anywhere in or under the vehicle could do the job.

• Anti-property: Most common type of car bomb encountered, with high NEQ (highest found is 1100lbs).

Car bombs - Types

• Known and confirmed car bomb: usually stolen cars parked suspiciously with high possibility of booby-traps.

• Vehicles suspect as a result of anonymous information: anonymous information via a telephone call to the police or a press agency. The informant usually gives the make, color, registration number and location.

• Vehicles parked in suspicious circumstances: most common incident encountered e.g. vehicle left in a “No Parking Area”. it may also contain suspicious items.

Car Bomb - Tell Tale Signs

• Reported missing vehicle

• Heavily laden

• Signs of tampering

Postal bomb - Types

• Explosive: Uses HE/LE to inflict damage by blast effect. Can add nails as frag.

• Incendiary: Inflict injury by burning

• Explosive + Incendiary: Blast + burning effect → inflict injury + damage to property

Postal Bomb - RSP Considerations

• Disposition of the postal bomb

• Forensic evidence

• Type of material and size of postal bomb

• Environment of the incident site

• Construction of the circuit

• Anti-X-Ray switches

Postal Bomb - RSP Methods

• Water disruptor for parcel bombs

• Detonating cord method for letter bombs

Postal Bomb - Tell Tale Sign

• Excessive postage

• Grease stains

• Excessive weight

• Protruding wires

• Holes in envelope/parcel

• Rigid envelope

Postal Bomb - Awareness

• Strange odor

• Hastily written name + address

• Wrong postage stamp

• Lopsided (excessive weight)

• Sender address does not tally with country/postage

• Suspicious hole

• Excessive tape/string

• Oily stain

• Protruding wire

• Excessive postage

IEDD sequence of event

1. Tasking

2. Route planning

3. Briefing

4. Check equipment

5. Movement

6. Arrival at scene

7. Establish ECP

8. Evacuation

9. Questioning technique

10. Observe (Remote Recce)

Appreciation of IED situation

It is a systematic thought process designed to examine all relevant factors and produce the most logical solution (which may not necessarily be the selected course of action).

• Assessing the maximum possible explosive content

• Assessing probable effect on the target

• Deciding what assistance could be given by other agencies e.g. advice of EODCC, Fire Brigade

• Confirming the category of incident and any restrictions on time or other factors that could affect RSP

• Establishing approaches and exit routes

• Planning RSP

Bomb warning, bomb scare, false alarm, hoax

• Bomb warning - manner in which an incident starts

• Bomb scare - after a bomb warning has been investigated and discredited

• False alarm - suspected item found but turned out to be innocent or “left without evil intent”

• Hoax - item resembling an IED but contains no explosive or malicious substance

Incident categories

• Cat A - Immediate danger to life or KINs

• Non-Cat A

Soak times

• Mandatory in all IEDD incidents

• Time to be observed before manual approach (robots can still be sent) can be carried out, except for Cat A incidents

• Varied to prevent setting patterns

• Primary soak time - minimum time before initial manual approach

• Secondary soak time - minimum time between positive action (actions that move the item) and subsequent manual approach

Guiding principles and philosophies

Just use your own understanding.

Radiography - Purpose

• Produce a picture of the inside of an object without disturbing its outer covering.

• It is useful in deciding:

  • Is a suspected object/mail an IED or not

  • Are suspicious objects booby trapper

  • Are there any suspicious objects in baggage

Hotrod

• Bigger variant of pigstick

• Can disrupt up to 1 cubic feet in volume

Pigstick

• Projects high velocity of water and gas to break circuitry of IED without causing detonation

• Employed manually or via ROV

• Can disrupt up to 0.5 cubic feet in volume

ROV

RE12G and RE70 on pipebombs

• Use RE12g with a 45 degree angle and 1 slug length (4cm)

• Use RE70 1” Barrel with a 45 degree angle and 1 slug length (7cm) aiming approximately 2-3 threads from the start of the screw thread

Evacuation distances

• Smaller than suit case: 100m

• Suit case or Suicide vest: 200m

• Small vehicle bomb: 400m

• Large vehicle bomb: 1000m