University Development Could Bring Terrorists To Justice Quickly

An Australian university has made a highly significant scientific development which promises to assist police to more efficiently apprehend terrorists responsible for bomb blasts using homemade explosives.

In a world first, the University of Tasmania has developed a portable explosives "fingerprint" device which can process and analyse the complex chemical residues from homemade bombs in minutes.

The briefcase size instrument, which works on a high voltage from a battery, allows scientists to separate and identify the individual chemicals left in complex residues after a bomb blast. These residues forma "fingerprint" which is used to identify the explosive used.

The instrument was developed by a team of 10 scientists in the extensive laboratories of the Australian Centre for Research On Separation Science (ACROSS). The device will add an important new dimension to forensic investigations and counter-terrorism measures.

Research leader Greg Dicinoski says the "ACROSS Portable Explosive Fingerprinter" device could give counter-terrorism authorities three distinct advantages:

• It is portable and can be taken onto most bomb sites
• Samples can be analysed on-site from miniscule levels of chemical residues
• Investigators will have the results in minutes and can start pursuing leads immediately

"This is a very exciting breakthrough for forensic science, and thepossibilities are enormous," Dicinoski says. "After a terrorist bombing, it can often take investigators considerable time using laboratory tests to find exactly the kind ofchemicals used to create the bomb. With the new portable technology it will be possible to identify the exact homemade explosive used within minutes, thus allowing investigators to trace large purchases of the particular chemicals involved."

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