IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVE DEVICES

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1 Meetings of Experts on Amended Protocol II IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVE DEVICES Geneva, April 2012

2 AGENDA Improvised Explosive Devices in Colombia Types of IEDs New technologies new challenges Counter IED measures

3 Use of IEDs in Colombia Over the last thirty years, illegal groups have used all kinds of IEDs in Colombia. Car bombs, improvised rockets, grenades, mortars, explosive-filled gas cylinders, booby traps, roadside explosives and even donkeybombs have killed or maimed thousands of Colombians (both civilians and military) and the national economy has suffered enormous losses because of affected trade and infrastructure.

4 Definition of Improvised Explosive Device An IED is a bomb fabricated in an improvised manner incorporating destructive, lethal, noxious, pyrotechnic, or incendiary chemicals and designed to destroy or incapacitate personnel or vehicles.

5 Composition of IEDs All IED have at least de following components: 1.An initiation system or fuze; 2.A power supply for the detonator 3.A detonator; 4.A main explosive charge; 5.A container.

6 Scope of the problem

7 Scope of the problem

8 Scope of the problem

9 Scope of the problem Acts of Terrorism

10 Scope of the problem Acts of Terrorism against infrastructure

11 Scope of the problem Acts of Terrorism against energy infrastructure

12 Scope of the problem Acts of Terrorism against road infrastructure

13 Scope of the problem IED and landmine victims

14 AGENDA Improvised Explosive Devices in Colombia Types of IEDs New technologies new challenges Counter IED measures

Types of IEDs found in Colombia Anti-personnel Mines: IEDs produced with plastic, glass or metallic containers, with different amounts of explosive, shrapnelgenerating

15 Types of IEDs found in Colombia Anti-personnel Mines: IEDs produced with plastic, glass or metallic containers, with different amounts of explosive, shrapnelgenerating objects and concurrent activation systems. The most sophisticated are undetectable by metal detectors and have chemical activation systems that can last for many years.

Types of IEDs found in Colombia Booby traps: IEDs produced with different objects like cell phones, radios, balls, cooking pots and others, designed to be

16 Types of IEDs found in Colombia Booby traps: IEDs produced with different objects like cell phones, radios, balls, cooking pots and others, designed to be triggered when an unsuspecting victim touches or disturbs the seemingly harmless object. They can also be activated by a remote control or a timing mechanism.

17 Types of IEDs found in Colombia Vehicle Borne IEDs: Devices that use a vehicle as the package or container of the IED. They vary by the type of vehicles available. There are registers of donkey drawn carts, bicycles, motorcycles and ambulances used to attack the Colombian Armed Forces.

18 Types of IEDs found in Colombia House Borne IEDs: House or any other kind of building, rigged to detonate and collapse shortly after a military unit enters. They have become very popular to attack clearing squads and specialized antiterrorism teams.

Types of IEDs found in Colombia Land Service Ammunition: Improvised projectiles, mortars, rockets, grenades and remote controlled roadside charges were devised

19 Types of IEDs found in Colombia Land Service Ammunition: Improvised projectiles, mortars, rockets, grenades and remote controlled roadside charges were devised with serious reliability and aiming problems. Illegal armed groups don t have access to weapons markets, thus are forced to forge most of their land service ammunition.

20 AGENDA Improvised Explosive Devices in Colombia Types of IEDs New technologies new challenges Counter IED measures

Development of improvised explosives IEDs

Allegedly, several products, like coffee or

21 Development of improvised explosives IEDs seldom contain military explosives. They are more often built with ANFO or other types of improvised explosives. Allegedly, several products, like coffee or paint, are added to those explosives to avoid canine detection.

22 New activation mechanisms

23 New activation mechanisms

24 Improved destruction capabilities

25 Enhanced covertness

26 Enhanced covertness

27 Enhanced covertness

28 Enhanced covertness

29 Enhanced covertness

30 AGENDA Improvised Explosive Devices in Colombia Types of IEDs New technologies new challenges Counter IED measures

31 National Legislation National Constitution Ch.7 Art. 223 Production and commerce of weapons, ammunition and explosives is limited to the government. Penal Code (Law 599/2000) Arts. 365 & years of prison for unauthorized production or commerce. 8 years of prison for use. 15 years of prison for production, commerce or use of antipersonnel mines. Victim Assistance (Law 1448/2011) Comprehensive assistance and reparation to all victims of the conflict. Síguenos

32 Technical counter measures Several special teams and bomb squads have been trained to deal with the IED problem in Colombia. They have state of the art technology to counter IEDs but the race between new production technologies and countermeasures is never-ending.

Technical counter measures Colombia s Armed Forces have +1.

33 Technical counter measures Colombia s Armed Forces have rapid response teams to conduct quick counter IED/demining operations during combat situations (breaching). Many teams are now clearing areas to mitigate the risk for mineaffected communities.

34 Technical counter measures

35 GRACIAS! Pablo Esteban Parra Gallego Humanitarian Demining Director Presidential Program for Mine Action

Improvised Explosive Devices:

Organization of American States Department of Public Security Improvised Explosive Devices: Perspectives on the Threat and Responses in the Americas Carl E. Case Coordinator Mine Action and Control of