• Terrorists using sophisticated uni-directional bombs

    Terrorists have learned to develop increasingly sophisticated explosives as evidenced by the uni-directional bombs detonated last week in Karachi, Pakistan that killed three Pakistan Rangers and injured several others

  • Research centre to combat devastating effects of roadside bombs

    Gaining a better understanding of the injuries caused by roadside bombs and improving both treatment and the means of protection are key aims of a new £8 million research center launched the other day; designing “intelligent” combat boots to deflect the impact of a roadside bomb and diagnosing damage more quickly in the injured to reduce future medical problems are two potential benefits

  • Turkish prisoners riot following aftershock, quake death toll now 432

    After a particularly strong aftershock rattled Turkey, terrified Turkish prisoners rioted after authorities refused to let them out

  • Detroit police disarm IED found in restaurant

    On Sunday, an improvised explosive device was found in the restroom of a Detroit restaurant; police confirmed that it was a bomb and successfully disarmed it

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  • Turning sport vehicle into military machine

    U.K. companies to transform a proven sports vehicle into a high performance, off road vehicle for special forces, border patrol, reconnaissance, rapid intervention or strike roles; the Wildcat 500 DKR boasts high speed performance in harsh environments

  • Old fashioned methods best for detecting IEDs

    U.S. troops in Afghanistan and Iraq have resorted to an old method to detect improvised explosive devices (IEDs); using long poles with hooks on the end, troops feel around in the dirt to detect any IEDs

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  • Insider threats in Afghanistan increase need for explosive detectors

    In Afghanistan suicide bombers are increasingly disguising themselves as friendly forces to successfully infiltrate secure allied bases and wreak havoc; April has been a deadly month for allied troops in Afghanistan with at least four attacks taking place where suicide bombers disguised themselves as police officers or members of the army; to protect against this threat, Thermal Matrix specializes in person-borne improvised explosive device (PBIED) detection devices; the firm has been working with the U.S military for the past several years to develop the Thermal Matrix ACT system which is capable of detecting suicide bombers from long distances; the system uses infrared imagery to analyze the heat signature of approaching individuals to determine if they are carrying any explosives

  • Curry spice could be used to detect explosives

    The main chemical in the curry spice turmeric could be the basis for cheap explosives detectors, say researchers; the curcumin molecule is already well-known in medicine for its anti-cancer and anti-oxidant properties. Now, research presented at the American Physical Society meeting suggests it could replace more complex solutions to spot explosives like TNT

  • Swiss institute developed IED Zapper

    IEDs kill and injure more American and coalition soldiers in Afghanistan than any other weapons insurgents employ; differences in terrain and IED design, where the primary detonator may be constructed of plastic to circumvent metal detectors, make military robots by Foster-Miller, iRobot, and Black-I Robotics not always effective; researchers now suggest detonating hidden IEDs from afar by using an electromagnetic pulse

  • Law enforcement officials adapting to the cell phone age

    Law enforcement officials are collecting more cell phone numbers for emergency alert phone lists as more people move away from land telephone lines; during emergencies land telephone lines are often knocked down and first responders do not have many cell phone numbers on file; emergency cell phone technology is rapidly improving with more accurate traces; 911 first responders hope to incorporate video, text, and photos in the future to better assess emergencies and communicate

  • Shaken lawmakers weigh additional security measures

    Following the shooting of Representative Gabrielle Giffords (D-Arizona), more than 800 participants — members of Congress, their spouses, and staffs — take part in a conference call Sunday; the FBI, House Sergeant at Arms Bill Livingood, and U.S. Capitol Police Chief Phil Morse detailed security measures lawmakers and their family members should take both in Washington, D.C. and in their home districts; another security briefing for lawmakers is scheduled for Wednesday; the last time a member of Congress was shot and killed was in 1978, when Representative Leo Ryan (D-California) tried to leave Jonestown, Guyana, with members of Jim Jones’s cult; six members of Congress have been murdered as well as two senators — Huey Long in 1935 and Robert Kennedy in 1968; five members of Congress were injured when Puerto Rican nationalists shot up the House chamber on 21 March 1954

  • Suspected Arizona gunman passed FBI background check

    The alleged shooter of Representative Giffords and eighteen other people in Arizona purchased a firearm legally — and after passing an FBI background check — from Sportsman’s Warehouse’s Tucson store in November; Loughner did not present a concealed weapons permit so he was required to pass an FBI background check, which he did “immediately and without incident,” the company which owns the store says; a DHS memo ties Loughner to the extremist group American Renaissance, which DHS describes as “anti-government, anti-immigration, anti-ZOG (Zionist Occupational Government), anti-Semitic”; the group leader says Loughner had no connection with his group

  • New laser weapon dazzles, confuses pirates

    There were 430 pirate attacks last year, an increase of 5.6 percent on the previous year; in a bid to develop a suitable non-lethal weapon to help fend off this threat, BAE Systems studied pirate behavior; the conclusion was that an automatic weapon was needed, one that would not put any of the crew at risk, and one which would distract suspected pirates rather than harm them

  • Portable device helps officers ID uncooperative suspects

    A portable fingerprint scanner helps police in a Florida town to identify people who refuse to identify themselves; the portable device searches the database of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, which has more than 5.5 million criminal records; it also crosschecks a FBI database of wanted persons, sex offender registry and known or suspected terrorists

  • Mobile phone forensic tools to reduce hi-tech crimes

    Government funded technology center in India is developing a set of mobile forensic tools that will assist the law enforcement agencies in cracking unlawful activities committed using mobile phones; the center is a government agency, and will be able to provide the tools at reasonable cost