The Terrorist's Cookbook Written BY: UNKNOWN AUTHOR (*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*)(*) 4.0 USING EXPLOSIVES Once a terrorist has made his explosives, the next logical step is to apply them. Explosives have a wide range of uses, from harassment, to vandalism, to murder. NONE OF THE IDEAS PRESENTED HERE ARE EVER TO BE CARRIED OUT, EITHER IN PART OR IN FULL! DOING SO CAN LEAD TO PROSECUTION, FINES, AND IMPRISONMENT! The first step that a person that would use explosive would take would be to determine how big an explosive device would be needed to do whatever had to be done. Then, he would have to decide what to make his bomb with. He would also have to decide on how he wanted to detonate the device, and determine where the best placement for it would be. Then, it would be necessary to see if the device could be put where he wanted it without it being discovered or moved. Finally, he would actually have to sit down and build his explosive device. These are some of the topics covered in the next section. 4.1 SAFETY There is no such thing as a "safe" explosive device. One can only speak in terms of relative safety, or less unsafe. 4.2 IGNITION DEVICES There are many ways to ignite explosive devices. There is the classic "light the fuse, throw the bomb, and run" approach, and there are sensitive mercury switches, and many things in between. Generally, electrical detonation systems are safer than fuses, but there are times when fuses are more appropriate than electrical systems; it is difficult to carry an electrical detonation system into a stadium, for instance, without being caught. A device with a fuse or impact detonating fuse would be easier to hide. 4.21 FUSE IGNITION The oldest form of explosive ignition, fuses are perhaps the favorite type of simple ignition system. By simply placing a piece of waterproof fuse in a device, one can have almost guaranteed ignition. Modern waterproof fuse is extremely reliable, burning at a rate of about 2.5 seconds to the inch. It is available as model rocketry fuse in most hobby shops, and costs about $3.00 for a nine-foot length. Fuse is a popular ignition system for pipe bombers because of its simplicity. All that need be done is light it with a match or lighter. Of course, if the Army had fuses like this, then the grenade, which uses fuse ignition, would be very impracticle. If a grenade ignition system can be acquired, by all means, it is the most effective. But, since such things do not just float around, the next best thing is to prepare a fuse system which does not require the use of a match or lighter, but still retains its simplicity. One such method is described below: MATERIALS _________ strike-on-cover type matches electrical tape or duct tape waterproof fuse 1) To determine the burn rate of a particular type of fuse, simply measure a 6 inch or longer piece of fuse and ignite it. With a stopwatch, press the start button the at the instant when the fuse lights, and stop the watch when the fuse reaches its end. Divide the time of burn by the length of fuse, and you have the burn rate of the fuse, in seconds per inch. This will be shown below: Suppose an eight inch piece of fuse is burned, and its complete time of combustion is 20 seconds. 20 seconds __________ = 2.5 seconds per inch. 8 inches If a delay of 10 seconds was desired with this fuse, divide the desired time by the number of seconds per inch: 10 seconds ___________________ = 4 inches 2.5 seconds / inch NOTE: THE LENGTH OF FUSE HERE MEANS LENGTH OF FUSE TO THE POWDER. SOME FUSE, AT LEAST AN INCH, SHOULD BE INSIDE THE DEVICE. ALWAYS ADD THIS EXTRA INCH, AND PUT THIS EXTRA INCH AN INCH INTO THE DEVICE!!! 2) After deciding how long a delay is desired before the explosive device is to go off, add about 1/2 an inch to the premeasured amount of fuse, and cut it off. 3) Carefully remove the cardboard matches from the paper match case. Do not pull off individual matches; keep all the matches attached to the cardboard base. Take one of the cardboard match sections, and leave the other one to make a second igniter. 4) Wrap the matches around the end of the fuse, with the heads of the matches touching the very end of the fuse. Tape them there securely, making sure not to put tape over the match heads. Make sure they are very secure by pulling on them at the base of the assembly. They should not be able to move. 5) Wrap the cover of the matches around the matches attached to the fuse, making sure that the striker paper is below the match heads and the striker faces the match heads. Tape the paper so that is fairly tight around the matches. Do not tape the cover of the striker to the fuse or to the matches. Leave enough of the match book to pull on for ignition. .PA _____________________ \ / \ / ------ match book cover \ / | M|f|M ---|------- match head | A|u|A | | T|s|T | | C|e|C | |tapeH|f|Htape| | |u| | |#####|s|#####|-------- striking paper |#####|e|#####| \ |f| / \ |u| / \ |s| / \ |e| / |ta|f|pe| |ta|u|pe| |s| |e| |f| |u| |s| |e| The match book is wrapped around the matches, and is taped to itself. The matches are taped to the fuse. The striker will rub against the matcheads when the match book is pulled. 6) When ready to use, simply pull on the match paper. It should pull the striking paper across the match heads with enough friction to light them. In turn, the burning matcheads will light the fuse, since it adjacent to the burning match heads. 4.22 IMPACT IGNITION Impact ignition is an excellent method of ignition for spontaneous terrorist activities. The problem with an impact-detonating device is that it must be kept in a very safe container so that it will not explode while being transported to the place where it is to be used. This can be done by having a removable impact initiator. The best and most reliable impact initiator is one that uses factory made initiators or primers. A no. 11 cap for black powder firearms is one such primer. They usually come in boxes of 100, and cost about $2.50. To use such a cap, however, one needs a nipple that it will fit on. Black powder nipples are also available in gun stores. All that a person has to do is ask for a package of nipples and the caps that fit them. Nipples have a hole that goes all the way through them, and they have a threaded end, and an end to put the cap on. A cutaway of a nipple is shown below: ________________ | | _ v | | | | ________| |^^^^^^^^| | | ___________| | | | | no. 11 |_______| | percussion _______ | ------- threads for screwing cap here | | | nipple onto bomb | |__________| | |_______ | | | |^^^^^^^^| | |_| | ^ | | | |________________| When making using this type of initiator, a hole must be drilled into whatever container is used to make the bomb out of. The nipple is then screwed into the hole so that it fits tightly. Then, the cap can be carried and placed on the bomb when it is to be thrown. The cap should be bent a small amount before it is placed on the nipple, to make sure that it stays in place. The only other problem involved with an impact detonating bomb is that it must strike a hard surface on the nipple to set it off. By attaching fins or a small parachute on the end of the bomb opposite the primer, the bomb, when thrown, should strike the ground on the primer, and explode. Of course, a bomb with mercury fulminate in each end will go off on impact regardless of which end it strikes on, but mercury fulminate is also likely to go off if the person carrying the bomb is bumped hard. 4.23 ELECTRICAL IGNITION Electrical ignition systems for detonation are usually the safest and most reliable form of ignition. Electrical systems are ideal for demolition work, if one doesn't have to worry so much about being caught. With two spools of 500 ft of wire and a car battery, one can detonate explosives from a "safe", comfortable distance, and be sure that there is nobody around that could get hurt. With an electrical system, one can control exactly what time a device will explode, within fractions of a second. Detonation can be aborted in less than a second's warning, if a person suddenly walks by the detonation sight, or if a police car chooses to roll by at the time. The two best electrical igniters are military squibs and model rocketry igniters. Blasting caps for construction also work well. Model rocketry igniters are sold in packages of six, and cost about $1.00 per pack. All that need be done to use them is connect it to two wires and run a current through them. Military squibs are difficult to get, but they are a little bit better, since they explode when a current is run through them, whereas rocketry igniters only burst into flame. Military squibs can be used to set off sensitive high explosives, such as R.D.X., or potassium chlorate mixed with petroleum jelly. Igniters can be used to set off black powder, mercury fulminate, or guncotton, which in turn, can set of a high order explosive. 4.24 ELECTRO-MECHANICAL IGNITION Electro-mechanical ignition systems are systems that use some type of mechanical switch to set off an explosive charge electrically. This type of switch is typically used in booby traps or other devices in which the person who places the bomb does not wish to be anywhere near the device when it explodes. Several types of electro-mechanical detonators will be discussed 4.241 Mercury Switches Mercury switches are a switch that uses the fact that mercury metal conducts electricity, as do all metals, but mercury metal is a liquid at room temperatures. A typical mercury switch is a sealed glass tube with two electrodes and a bead of mercury metal. It is sealed because of mercury's nasty habit of giving off brain-damaging vapors. The diagram below may help to explain a mercury switch. ______________ A / \ B _______wire +______/__+ - \ \ ( Hg ) | / \ _(_Hg_)__|____/ | | wire - | | | When the drop of mercury ("Hg" is mercury's atomic symbol) touches both contacts, current flows through the switch. If this particular switch was in its present position, A---B, current would be flowing, since the mercury can touch both contacts in the horizontal position. B If, however, it was in the | position, the drop of mercury would only touch the + contact on the A side. A Current, then could not flow, since the mercury does not reach both contacts when the switch is in the verticle position. This type of switch is ideal to place by a door. If it were placed in the path of a swinging door in the verticle position, the motion of the door would knock the switch down, if it was held to the ground by a piece if tape. This would tilt the switch into the verticle position, causing the mercury to touch both contacts, allowing current to flow through the mercury, and to the igniter or squib in an explosive device. Imagine opening a door and having it slammed in your face by an explosion. 4.242 Tripwire Switches A tripwire is an element of the classic booby trap. By placing a nearly invisible line of string or fishing line in the probable path of a victim, and by putting some type of trap there also, nasty things can be caused to occur. If this mode of thought is applied to explosives, how would one use such a tripwire to detonate a bomb. The technique is simple. By wrapping the tips of a standard clothespin with aluminum foil, and placing something between them, and connecting wires to each aluminum foil contact, an electric tripwire can be made, If a piece of wood attached to the tripwire was placed between the contacts on the clothespin, the clothespin would serve as a switch. When the tripwire was pulled, the clothespin would snap together, allowing current to flow between the two pieces of aluminum foil, thereby completing a circuit, which would have the igniter or squib in it. Current would flow between the contacts to the igniter or squib, heat the igniter or squib, causing it to explode. __________________________________ \_foil___________________________/ (0) --------------------------spring insert strip of ------- _foil_____\_____________________ wood with trip- /___________\____________________\ wire between foil contacts Make sure that the aluminum foil contacts do not touch the spring, since the spring also conducts electricity. 4.243 Radio Control Detonators In the movies, every terrorist or criminal uses a radio controlled detonator to set off explosives. With a good radio detonator, one can be several miles away from the device, and still control exactly when it explodes, in much the same way as an electrical switch. The problem with radio detonators is that they are rather costly. However, there could possibly be a reason that a terrorist would wish to spend the amounts of money involved with a RC (radio control) system and use it as a detonator. If such an individual wanted to devise an RC detonator, all he would need to do is visit the local hobby store or toy store, and buy a radio controlled toy. Taking it back to his/her abode, all that he/she would have to do is detach the solenoid/motor that controls the motion of the front wheels of a RC car, or detach the solenoid/motor of the elevators/rudder of a RC plane, or the rudder of a RC boat, and re-connect the squib or rocket engine igniter to the contacts for the solenoid/motor. The device should be tested several times with squibs or igniters, and fully charged batteries should be in both he controller and the receiver (the part that used to move parts before the device became a detonator). 4.3 DELAYS A delay is a device which causes time to pass from when a device is set up to the time that it explodes. A regular fuse is a delay, but it would cost quite a bit to have a 24 hour delay with a fuse. This section deals with the different types of delays that can be employed by a terrorist who wishes to be sure that his bomb will go off, but wants to be out of the country when it does. 4.31 FUSE DELAYS It is extremely simple to delay explosive devices that employ fuses for ignition. Perhaps the simplest way to do so is with a cigarette. An average cigarette burns for about 8 minutes. The higher the "tar" and nicotine rating, the slower the cigarette burns. Low "tar" and nicotine cigarettes burn quicker than the higher "tar" and nicotine cigarettes, but they are also less likely to go out if left unattended, i.e. not smoked. Depending on the wind or draft in a given place, a high "tar" cigarette is better for delaying the ignition of a fuse, but there must be enough wind or draft to give the cigarette enough oxygen to burn. People who use cigarettes for the purpose of delaying fuses will often test the cigarettes that they plan to use in advance to make sure they stay lit, and to see how long it will burn. Once a cigarettes burn rate is determined, it is a simple matter of carefully putting a hole all the way through a cigarette with a toothpick at the point desired, and pushing the fuse for a device in the hole formed. .PA |=| | | ---------- filter | | |_| | | |o| ---------- hole for fuse cigarette ------------ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |_| ---------- light this end A similar type of device can be make from powdered charcoal and a sheet of paper. Simply roll the sheet of paper into a thin tube, and fill it with powdered charcoal. Punch a hole in it at the desired location, and insert a fuse. Both ends must be glued closed, and one end of the delay must be doused with lighter fluid before it is lit. Or, a small charge of gunpowder mixed with powdered charcoal could conceivably used for igniting such a delay. A chain of charcoal briquettes can be used to delay a fuse by merely lining up a few bricks of charcoal so that they touch each other, end on end, and lighting the first brick. Incense, which can be purchased at almost any novelty or party supply store, can also be used as a fairly reliable delay. By wrapping the fuse about the end of an incense stick, delays of up to 1/2 an hour are possible. Finally, it is possible to make a relatively slow-burning fuse in the home. By dissolving about one teaspoon of black powder in about 1/4 a cup of boiling water, and, while it is still hot, soaking in it a long piece of all cotton string, a slow-burning fuse can be made. After the soaked string dries, it must then be tied to the fuse of an explosive device. Sometimes, the end of the slow burning fuse that meets the normal fuse has a charge of black powder or gunpowder at the intersection point to insure ignition, since the slow-burning fuse does not burn at a very high temperature. A similar type of slow fuse can be made by taking the above mixture of boiling water and black powder and pouring it on a long piece of toilet paper. The wet toilet paper is then gently twisted up so that it resembles a firecracker fuse, and is allowed to dry. 4.32 TIMER DELAYS Timer delays, or "time bombs" are usually employed by an individual who wishes to threaten a place with a bomb and demand money to reveal its location and means to disarm it. Such a device could be placed in any populated place if it were concealed properly. There are several ways to build a timer delay. By simply using a screw as one contact at the time that detonation is desired, and using the hour hand of a clock as the other contact, a simple timer can be made. The minute hand of a clock should be removed, unless a delay of less than an hour is desired. ___________________________________ to igniter from igniter | | | 12 | ^ : | 11 1 | : : | | : : | 10 2 | : v | .................|......: : | : | : | 9 o 3 | : | | | : | | | : | 8 | 4 | : | V o..........|...... : | 7 5 | : : | 6 | :.........+ - |_________________________________| __|_____|____ | | | battery | o -contacts | | ..... -wire | | |___________| This device is set to go off in eleven hours. When the hour hand of the clock reaches the contact near the numeral 5, it will complete the circuit, allowing current to flow through the igniter or squib. The main disadvantage with this type of timer is that it can only be set for a maximum time of 12 hours. If an electronic timer is used, such as that in an electronic clock, then delays of up to 24 hours are possible. By removing the speaker from an electronic clock, and attaching the wires of a squib or igniter to them, a timer with a delay of up to 24 hours can be made. To utilize this type of timer, one must have a socket that the clock can be plugged into. All that one has to do is set the alarm time of the clock to the desired time, connect the leads, and go away. This could also be done with an electronic watch, if a larger battery were used, and the current to the speaker of the watch was stepped up via a transformer. This would be good, since such a timer could be extremely small. The timer in a VCR (Video Cassette Recorder) would be ideal. VCR's can usually be set for times of up to a week. The leads from the timer to the recording equipment would be the ones that an igniter or squib would be connected to. Also, one can buy timers from electronics stores that would be ideal. Finally, one could employ a digital watch, and use a relay, or electro-magnetic switch to fire the igniter, and the current of the watch would not have to be stepped up. 4.33 CHEMICAL DELAYS Chemical delays are uncommon, but they can be extremely effective in some cases. If a glass container is filled with concentrated sulfuric acid, and capped with several thicknesses of aluminum foil, or a cap that it will eat through, then it can be used as a delay. Sulfuric acid will react with aluminum foil to produce aluminum sulfate and hydrogen gas, and so the container must be open to the air on one end so that the pressure of the hydrogen gas that is forming does not break the container. | | | | | | |_______________| | | |sulfuric | | | | |acid | | | | | |---------- aluminum foil | |_______ _______| | (several thicknesses) |___________________| The aluminum foil is placed over the bottom of the container and secured there with tape. When the acid eats through the aluminum foil, it can be used to ignite an explosive device in several ways. 1) Sulfuric acid is a good conductor of electricity. If the acid that eats through the foil is collected in a glass container placed underneath the foil, and two wires are placed in the glass container, a current will be able to flow through the acid when both of the wires are immersed in the acid. 2) Sulfuric acid reacts very violently with potassium chlorate. If the acid drips down into a container containing potassium chlorate, the potassium chlorate will burst into flame. This flame can be used to ignite a fuse, or the potassium chlorate can be the igniter for a thermit bomb, if some potassium chlorate is mixed in a 50/50 ratio with the thermit, and this mixture is used as an igniter for the rest of the thermit. 3) Sulfuric acid reacts with potassium permangenate in a similar way. 4.4 EXPLOSIVE CONTAINERS This section will cover everything from making a simple firecracker to a complicated scheme for detonating an insensitive high explosive, both of which are methods that could be utilized by perpetrators of terror. 4.41 PAPER CONTAINERS Paper was the first container ever used for explosives, since it was first used by the Chinese to make fireworks. Paper containers are usually very simple to make, and are certainly the cheapest. There are many possible uses for paper in containing explosives, and the two most obvious are in firecrackers and rocket engines. Simply by rolling up a long sheet of paper, and gluing it together, one can make a simple rocket engine. Perhaps a more interesting and dangerous use is in the firecracker. The firecracker shown here is one of Mexican design. It is called a "polumna", meaning "dove". The process of their manufacture is not unlike that of making a paper football. If one takes a sheet of paper about 16 inches in length by 1.5 inches wide, and fold one corner so that it looks like this: _______________________________________________________ | |\ | | \ | | \ |_____________________________________________________|___\ and then fold it again so that it looks like this: ______________________________________________________ | /| | / | | / | |________________________________________________/___| A pocket is formed. This pocket can be filled with black powder, pyrodex, flash powder, gunpowder,rocket engine powder, or any of the quick-burning fuel- oxodizer mixtures that occur in the form of a fine powder. A fuse is then inserted, and one continues the triangular folds, being careful not to spill out any of the explosive. When the polumna is finished, it should be taped together very tightly, since this will increase the strength of the container, and produce a louder and more powerful explosion when it is lit. The finished polumna should look like a 1/4 inch - 1/3 inch thick triangle, like the one shown below: ^ / \ ----- securely tape all corners / \ / \ / \ / \ / \____________________________ /_____________\__/__/__/__/__/__/__/__/__/ ---------- fuse 4.42 METAL CONTAINERS The classic pipe bomb is the best known example of a metal-contained explosive. Idiot anarchists take white tipped matches and cut off the match heads. They pound one end of a pipe closed with a hammer, pour in the white- tipped matches, and then pound the other end closed. This process often kills the fool, since when he pounds the pipe closed, he could very easily cause enough friction between the match heads to cause them to ignite and explode the unfinished bomb. By using pipe caps, the process is somewhat safer, and the less stupid anarchist would never use white tipped matches in a bomb. He would buy two pipe caps and threaded pipe (fig. 1). First, he would drill a hole in one pipe cap, and put a fuse in it so that it will not come out, and so powder will not escape during handling. The fuse would be at least 3/4 an inch long inside the bomb. He would then screw the cap with the fuse in it on tightly, possibly putting a drop of super glue on it to hold it tight. He would then pour his explosive powder in the bomb. To pack it tightly, he would take a large wad of tissue paper and, after filling the pipe to the very top, pack the powder down, by using the paper as a ramrod tip, and pushing it with a pencil or other wide ended object, until it would not move any further. Finally, he would screw the other pipe cap on, and glue it. The tissue paper would help prevent some of the powder from being caught in the threads of the pipe or pipe cap from being crushed and subject to friction, which might ignite the powder, causing an explosion during manufacture. An assembled bomb is presented in fig. 2. _________ _______________ __________ | vvvvvv| ^^^^^^ ^^^^^^ |vvvvvv | | | |_________________________| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ___________________________ | | | | | | | | | |^^^^^| vvvvvv_______________vvvvvv |^^^^^^ | |_______| |________| fig 1. Threaded pipe and endcaps. .PA ________ ________ | _____|________________________________|_____ | | |__________________________________________| | | |: : : : |- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -| | | | tissue | - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |_| | | : : : |- - - low order explosive - - ---------------------- | | paper | - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |-| | |: : : : |- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -| | fuse | |__________________________________________| | | |__________________________________________| | |______| |______| endcap pipe endcap w/ hole fig. 2 Assembled pipe bomb. This is one possible design that a mad bomber would use. If, however, he did not have access to threaded pipe with endcaps, he could always use a piece of copper or aluminum pipe, since it is easily bent into a suitable position. A major problem with copper piping, however, is bending and folding it without tearing it; if too much force is used when folding and bending copper pipe, it will split along the fold. The safest method for making a pipe bomb out of copper or aluminum pipe is similar to the method with pipe and endcaps. First, one flattens one end of a copper or aluminum pipe carefully, making sure not to tear or rip the piping. Then, the flat end of the pipe should be folded over at least once, if this does not rip the pipe. A fuse hole should be drilled in the pipe near the now closed end, and the fuse should be inserted. Next, the bomb-builder would fill the bomb with a low order explosive, and pack it with a large wad of tissue paper. He would then flatten and fold the other end of the pipe with a pair of pliers. If he was not too dumb, he would do this slowly, since the process of folding and bending metal gives off heat, which could set off the explosive. A diagram is presented below: &127;_______ _______________________________________________/ | | | | o | |______________________________________________ | \_______| fig. 1 pipe with one end flattened and fuse hole drilled (top view) .PA ______ ____________________________________________/ | | | | | | o | | |___________________________________________ | | \__|__| fig. 2 pipe with one end flattened and folded up (top view) ____________ fuse hole | v ________________________________________ ___ ______ | \ |____ | | \____| | | ______| | / |___________________________________________/ fig. 3 pipe with flattened and folded end (side view) _________________ fuse / | ________ ______________________________|___ _______ | ____| / |- - - - - - - - - - - - | - \ |____ | | |_____/tissue| - - - - - - - - - - - -|- - \_____| | |________ paper |- - - low order explosive - _______| \ | - - - - - - - - - - - - - - / \__________________________________/ fig. 4 completed bomb, showing tissue paper packing and explosive (side view) A CO2 cartridge from a B.B gun is another excellent container for a low-order explosive. It has one minor disadvantage: it is time consuming to fill. But this can be rectified by widening the opening of the cartridge with a pointed tool. Then, all that would have to be done is to fill the CO2 cartridge with any low-order explosive, or any of the fast burning fuel- oxodizer mixtures, and insert a fuse. These devices are commonly called "crater makers". A CO2 cartridge also works well as a container for a thermit incendiary device, but it must be modified. The opening in the end must be widened, so that the ignition mixture, such as powdered magnesium, does not explode. The fuse will ignite the powdered magnesium, which, in turn, would ignite the thermit. The previously mentioned designs for explosive devices are fine for low-order explosives, but are unsuitable for high-order explosives, since the latter requires a shockwave to be detonated. A design employing a smaller low-order explosive device inside a larger device containing a high-order explosive would probably be used. It would look something like: _______________________ fuse | | | _________ | _________ | ____|__________________________|___________|____ | | | * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *|* * * * * * * | | | | * * * * * * high explosive | * * * * * * * | | | | * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *|* * * * * * * | | | | * ______ _______________|_ ______ * | | | | * * | __| / - - - - - - | \ |__ | * | | | | * | |____/ low explosive - \____| | * | | | | * * |_______ - - - - - - - - - _______| * | | | | * * * * * \ - - - - - - - - / * * * * * | | | | * * * * * * \_________________/ * * * * * | | | | * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * | | | | * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * | | | | * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * | | | |______________________________________________| | |_______| |_______| If the large high explosive container is small, such as a CO2 cartridge, then a segment of a hollow radio antenna can be made into a low-order pipe bomb, which can be fitted with a fuse, and inserted into the CO2 cartridge. 4.43 GLASS CONTAINERS Glass containers can be suitable for low-order explosives, but there are problems with them. First, a glass container can be broken relatively easily compared to metal or plastic containers. Secondly, in the not-too-unlikely event of an "accident", the person making the device would probably be seriously injured, even if the device was small. A bomb made out of a sample perfume bottle-sized container exploded in the hands of one boy, and he still has pieces of glass in his hand. He is also missing the final segment of his ring finger, which was cut off by a sharp piece of flying glass... Nonetheless, glass containers such as perfume bottles can be used by a demented individual, since such a device would not be detected by metal detectors in an airport or other public place. All that need be done is fill the container, and drill a hole in the plastic cap that the fuse fits tightly in, and screw the cap-fuse assembly on. .PA ________________________ fuse | | | &127;____|_____ | ___|___ | | > | <| drill hole in cap, and insert fuse; |> | <| be sure fuse will not come out of cap |> | <| | | | | | | | | | screw cap on bottle | | | | v v ________ <> <> <> / \ / \ / \ | | fill bottle with low-order explosive | | | | | | | | |___________| Large explosive devices made from glass containers are not practicle, since glass is not an exceptionally strong container. Much of the explosive that is used to fill the container is wasted if the container is much larger than a 16 oz. soda bottle. Also, glass containers are usually unsuitable for high explosive devices, since a glass container would probably not withstand the explosion of the initiator; it would shatter before the high explosive was able to detonate. 4.44 PLASTIC CONTAINERS Plastic containers are perhaps the best containers for explosives, since they can be any size or shape, and are not fragile like glass. Plastic piping can be bought at hardware or plumbing stores, and a device much like the ones used for metal containers can be made. The high-order version works well with plastic piping. If the entire device is made out of plastic, it is not detectable by metal detectors. Plastic containers can usually be shaped by heating the container, and bending it at the appropriate place. They can be glued closed with epoxy or other cement for plastics. Epoxy alone can be used as an endcap, if a wad of tissue paper is placed in the piping. Epoxy with a drying agent works best in this type of device. || || || || ||\_____________/|| || || || epoxy || ||_______________|| || || || tissue || || paper || ||_______________|| ||***************|| ||***************|| ||***************|| ||***************|| ||** explosive **|| ||***************|| ||***********----------------------- fuse ||***************|| ||_______________|| || || || tissue || || paper || ||_______________|| || || || epoxy || || _____________ || ||/ \|| || || || || One end must be made first, and be allowed to dry completely before the device can be filled with powder and fused. Then, with another piece of tissue paper, pack the powder tightly, and cover it with plenty of epoxy. PVC pipe works well for this type of device, but it cannot be used if the pipe had an inside diameter greater than 3/4 of an inch. Other plastic puttys can be used int this type of device, but epoxy with a drying agent works best. 4.5 ADVANCED USES FOR EXPLOSIVES The techniques presented here are those that could be used by a person who had some degree of knowledge of the use of explosives. Some of this information comes from demolitions books, or from military handbooks. Advanced uses for explosives usually involved shaped charges, or utilize a minimum amount of explosive to do a maximum amount of damage. They almost always involve high- order explosives. 4.51 SHAPED CHARGES A shaped charge is an explosive device that, upon detonation, directs the explosive force of detonation at a small target area. This process can be used to breach the strongest armor, since forces of literally millions of pounds of pressure per square inch can be generated. Shaped charges employ high-order explosives, and usually electric ignition systems. KEEP IN MIND THAT ALL EXPLOSIVES ARE DANGEROUS, AND SHOULD NEVER BE MADE OR USED!! .PA An example of a shaped charge is shown below. + wire ________ _______ - wire | | | | | | _ __________|_________|____________ ^ | ________|_________|__________ | | | | | | | | | | | \ igniter / | | | | | \_______/ | | | | | priming charge | | | | | (mercury fulminate) | | | | | ^ | | | | | / \ | | | | | / \ | | | | | / \ | | | | | / \ | | | | | / \ | | | | | / \ | | | | / \ | | 8 inches high | | / \ | | | | / high \ | | | | | / explosive \ | | | | | / charge \ | | | | | / \ | | | | |/ \| | | | | ^ | | | | | / \ | | | | | / \ | | | | | / \ | | | | | / \ | | | | | / \ | | | | | / \ | | | | | / \ | | | | | / \ | | | | | / \ | | ------- 1/2 inch thick | | | / \ | | steel pipe | | | / \ | | | | | / \ | | | | |/ \| | | hole for | | | | hole for | screw | | | | screw | | | | | V_______ ___________| | | |___________ ________ |______| |____________| |_____________| |______| |<------- 8 inches>| If a device such as this is screwed to a safe, for example, it would direct most of the explosive force at a point about 1 inch away from the opening of the pipe. The basis for shaped charges is a cone-shaped opening in the explosive material. This cone should have an angle of 45 degrees. A device such as this one could also be attached to a metal surface with a powerful electromagnet. 4.52 TUBE EXPLOSIVES A variation on shaped charges, tube explosives can be used in ways that shaped charges cannot. If a piece of 1/2 inch plastic tubing was filled with a sensitive high explosive such as R.D.X., and prepared as the plastic explosive container in section 4.44, a different sort of shaped charge could be produced; a charge that directs explosive force in a circular manner. This type of explosive could be wrapped around a column, or a doorknob, or a telephone pole. The explosion would be directed in and out, and most likely destroy whatever it was wrapped around. In an unbent state, a tube explosive would look like this: || || || || ||\____/|| || epoxy|| ||______|| || || ||tissue|| || paper|| ||______|| ||******|| ||******|| ||******|| ||******|| ||******|| ||******|| ||******|| ||******|| ||******|| ||******|| ||******|| ||******|| ||******|| ||******|| ||******|| ||******|| ||******|| || RDX || ||******|| ||******|| ||******|| ||******|| ||******|| ||******|| ||******|| ||******|| ||******|| ||******|| ||******|| ||******|| ||******|| ||******|| ||******|| ||******|| || ____ || || | s| || || | q| || || | u| || || | i| || || | b| || || | b| || || |__| || ||__||__|| ||tissue|| || paper|| ||__||__|| || || || || epoxy|| || || || || _||_ || ||/ || \|| || || || || || || ||_______ + wire ______________ | |________ - wire ______________ When an assassin or terrorist wishes to use a tube bomb, he must wrap it around whatever thing he wishes to destroy, and epoxy the ends of the tube bomb together. After it dries, he/she can connect wires to the squib wires, and detonate the bomb, with any method of electric detonation. 4.53 ATOMIZED PARTICLE EXPLOSIONS If a highly flammable substance is atomized, or, divided into very small particles, and large amounts of it is burned in a confined area, an explosion similar to that occurring in the cylinder of an automobile is produced. The tiny droplets of gasoline burn in the air, and the hot gasses expand rapidly, pushing the cylinder up. Similarly, if a gallon of gasoline was atomized and ignited in a building, it is very possible that the expanding gassed would push the walls of the building down. This phenomenon is called an atomized particle explosion. If a person can effectively atomize a large amount of a highly flammable substance and ignite it, he could bring down a large building, bridge, or other structure. Atomizing a large amount of gasoline, for example, can be extremely difficult, unless one has the aid of a high explosive. If a gallon jug of gasoline was placed directly over a high explosive charge, and the charge was detonated, the gasoline would instantly be atomized and ignited. If this occurred in a building, for example, an atomized particle explosion would surely occur. Only a small amount of high explosive would be necessary to accomplish this feat, about 1/2 a pound of T.N.T., or 1/4 a pound of R.D.X. Also, instead of gasoline, powdered aluminum could be used. It is necessary that a high explosive be used to atomize a flammable material, since a low-order explosion does not occur quickly enough to atomize or ignite the flammable material. 4.54 LIGHTBULB BOMBS An automatic reaction to walking into a dark room is to turn on the light. This can be fatal, if a lightbulb bomb has been placed in the overhead light socket. A lightbulb bomb is surprisingly easy to make. It also comes with its own initiator and electric ignition system. On some lightbulbs, the lightbulb glass can be removed from the metal base by heating the base of a lightbulb in a gas flame, such as that of a blowtorch or gas stove. This must be done carefully, since the inside of a lightbulb is a vacuum. When the glue gets hot enough, the glass bulb can be pulled off the metal base. On other bulbs, it is necessary to heat the glass directly with a blowtorch or oxy-acetylene torch. When the bulb is red hot, a hole must be carefully poked in the bulb, remembering the vacuum state inside the bulb. In either case, once the bulb and/or base has cooled down to room temperature or lower, the bulb can be filled with an explosive material, such as black powder. If the glass was removed from the metal base, it must be glued back on to the base with epoxy. If a hole was put in the bulb, a piece of duct tape is sufficient to hold the explosive in the in the bulb. Then, after making sure that the socket has no power by checking with a working lightbulb, all that need be done is to screw the lightbulb bomb into the socket. Such a device has been used by terrorists or assassins with much success, since nobody can search the room for a bomb without first turning on the light. 4.55 BOOK BOMBS Concealing a bomb can be extremely difficult in a day and age where perpetrators of violence run wild. Bags and briefcases are often searched by authorities whenever one enters a place where an individual might intend to set off a bomb. One approach to disguising a bomb is to build what is called a book bomb; an explosive device that is entirely contained inside of a book. Usually, a relatively large book is required, and the book must be of the hardback variety to hide any protrusions of a bomb. Dictionaries, law books, large textbooks, and other such books work well. When an individual makes a bookbomb, he/she must choose a type of book that is appropriate for the place where the book bomb will be placed. The actual construction of a book bomb can be done by anyone who possesses an electric drill and a coping saw. First, all of the pages of the book must be glued together. By pouring an entire container of water-soluble glue into a large bucket, and filling the bucket with boiling water, a glue-water solution can be made that will hold all of the book's pages together tightly. After the glue-water solution has cooled to a bearable temperature, and the solution has been stirred well, the pages of the book must be immersed in the glue-water solution, and each page must be thoroughly soaked. It is extremely important that the covers of the book do not get stuck to the pages of the book while the pages are drying. Suspending the book by both covers and clamping the pages together in a vice works best. When the pages dry, after about three days to a week, a hole must be drilled into the now rigid pages, and they should drill out much like wood. Then, by inserting the coping saw blade through the pages and sawing out a rectangle from the middle of the book, the individual will be left with a shell of the book's pages. The pages, when drilled out, should look like this: ________________________ | ____________________ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |__________________| | |______________________| (book covers omitted) This rectangle must be securely glued to the back cover of the book. After building his/her bomb, which usually is of the timer or radio controlled variety, the bomber places it inside the book. The bomb itself, and whatever timer or detonator is used, should be packed in foam to prevent it from rolling or shifting about. Finally, after the timer is set, or the radio control has been turned on, the front cover is glued closed, and the bomb is taken to its destination. 4.56 PHONE BOMBS The phone bomb is an explosive device that has been used in the past to kill or injure a specific individual. The basic idea is simple: when the person answers the phone, the bomb explodes. If a small but powerful high explosive device with a squib was placed in the phone receiver, when the current flowed through the receiver, the squib would explode, detonating the high explosive in the person's hand. Nasty. All that has to be done is acquire a squib, and tape the receiver switch down. Unscrew the mouthpiece cover, and remove the speaker, and connect the squib's leads where it was. Place a high explosive putty, such as C-1 (see section 3.31) in the receiver, and screw the cover on, making sure that the squib is surrounded by the C-1. Hang the phone up, and leave the tape in place. When the individual to whom the phone belongs attempts to answer the phone, he will notice the tape, and remove it. This will allow current to flow through the squib. Note that the device will not explode by merely making a phone call; the owner of the phone must lift up the receiver, and remove the tape. It is highly probable that the phone will be by his/her ear when the device explodes...