Specifics within the crime scene investigation of an explosion site in the case of a suicide terrorism act

Abstract

Modern terrorism is one of the most serious threats to the security, and of all its forms the suicide terrorism stands out with the image of the perfect terrorist weapon. Although this terrorist tactic is few decades old, a growing number of these acts of violence in the world are testifying about its terrible efficiency and the aim to cause great material and human losses to the chosen target with the use of explosion effects and self-sacrifice of terrorists. Therefore the detection of intentions, plans and targets of suicide terrorism, as well as the definition of new strategies and operational plans for its prevention is the obligation of all states and international community as a whole. Considering that the special attention within the procedure of identification and attestation of relevant facts and detection of terrorists is paid to the crime scene investigation, most of the paper is dedicated to the investigation of an explosion site. The objective of this paper is to indicate the specifics of the investigation of an explosion site, and in accordance with that to give recommendations for the actions that should be made on a crime scene - lege artis. Purpose: This paper presents practical procedures of collecting trace evidences from the bomb scene especially in the case of suicide terrorism act. Those specifics refer to the procedures in dealing with trace evidence through the packaging, transport, expert analysis in laboratories and engineer estimation of explosive mass charge which has been used with respect of modern European standards. The aim of this paper is to signify the specifics in suicide bomb scene investigation and according to that, to give recommendations for bomb scene investigation lege artis. Design/methodology/approach: Theoretical Findings: This paper presents all sort of evidence at the explosion scene (i.e., destruction, demolition, heat, and fragmentation effect), gives the references for practical procedures of collecting traces from the scene and provides recommendations for suicide explosion scene investigation lege artis. Research limitations/implications: The impossibility of performing experimental explosions that would completely match the real situations of suicide bomb scene. Practical implications: This article will improve bomb scene investigation procedures in the case of suicide terrorism act. Originality/value: This paper presents a purview of criminal procedures on the bomb scene consistent of European standards and introduces different methods to estimate explosive mass which has been used.