Explosives
the black art of building bombs from
almost every kind of explosive known to
man. They did not make the hydrogen-
peroxide based types, as they were able
to steal or procure through other means
conventional explosives from military
and commercial sources. Their prime
home-made mix was from ammonium
nitrate – fertiliser, in plentiful supply
from agricultural sources, and used in
massive vehicle-borne IEDs – car
bombs, the ‘nuclear weapon of terrorist
warfare’ – which produced the largest
explosions on British soil in peacetime
(Bishopsgate, 1993; Canary Wharf,
1996; Manchester 1996).
Choosing the Right
Explosive for the Job
For today’s groups and individual fanatics,
civilians – that is to say any civilians, in Ammonium Nitrate Fuel Oil (ANFO)
many countries and on any transit system
– are often their prime targets, unlike the The IRA often targeted train lines and, oxidiser, combined with fuel oil, the organic
IRA, which focused on economic or specific occasionally, the London Underground fuel. This would be combined with Semtex
civilian targets associated with continuing (usually leaving devices overnight); it also high explosive (as in the Bishopsgate
British presence in Northern Ireland. targeted aircraft, not by hijacking but by bomb, 1993). Semtex was used by the IRA
Today’s terrorists are more likely to go out launching mortars at Heathrow Airport to mainly as a booster along with other
on suicide missions, with bombs that are cause maximum disruption (and to show ingredients such as sugar for heightened
less likely to be on timers or remotely they could build and use an entire incendiary effect.
detonated. These differences require homemade missile series). Contrast this The ‘magic marble’ of Pardubice, Czech
different devices; explosives may be home- with other, primarily Middle-Eastern Republic (then Czechoslovakia), where it
made and used very soon after they have groups, who focused heavily on hijackings was invented, Semtex is the terrorist’s
been cobbled together, often in a private or the sabotage of aircraft, the most favourite explosive due to its easy handling,
residence. Many of these mixtures are notable example being the 1988 stability, and lack of odour and formidable
highly unstable and, while made from Lockerbie disaster. explosive yield – and which, in the case of
simple, fairly readily accessible ingredients, One striking difference between the the IRA, came courtesy of Libya’s Colonel
such as hydrogen peroxide, they do not last former IRA campaigns and the current Gadaafi in successive shipments during
beyond a few days and are likely to explode threat is that IRA bombs were chiefly aimed the 1980s.
prematurely and without a detonator. at destroying economic and military/police The IRA used Semtex sparingly to
infrastructure. For this the big car bomb conserve stocks – in preparation for the
was often the chosen means. Various ‘Long War’. Some three tonnes were
mixes of ammonium nitrate were used, decommissioned in the first years of this
“elipsis.the ‘magic marble’ acquired locally and milled to the exact century when the movement conceded to
required consistency through a long, the peace process. Some of it was stolen,
of Pardubice, drawn-out process, often in remote rural however, in the mid-1990s by the breakaway
republican heartlands. One favoured mix Real IRA which, among other dissident
Czechoslovakia, where was ANFO – ammonium nitrate as the groups still poses security problems in
Northern Ireland.
it was invented, Semtex is still
available on the black
Semtex is the terrorist’s market; regardless of
the sell by date, old
favourite explosive due stocks may have an
effective shelf life of
to its easy handling, up to 30 years. It is
now manufactured
stability, and lack of with an odour and
shorter shelf life, but
odour and formidable stocks on the black
market will most likely
explosive yieldelipsis” Semtex has been used in many attacks against civil aviation be 20th-century issue.
Aviationsecurityinternational February 2009 www.asi-mag.com 11
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