Black and Smokeless Powders: Technologies for Finding Bombs and the Bomb Makers by Committee on Smokeless & Black Powder

Author:Committee on Smokeless & Black Powder
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Engineering and Technology. Conflict and Security Issues : Weapons and Technology
Publisher: NATIONAL ACADEMY PRESS
Published: 1998-12-29T00:00:00+00:00

BOX 3.2 How a Taggant Can Assist Law Enforcement

There are various ways in which a taggant could be used by law enforcement personnel in identifying a bombing perpetrator or convicting a known suspect. The examples below are not meant to represent a complete list of uses; they instead provide illustrations of varied taggant applications.

Furnish Information That May Justify Issuance of a Search Warrant

Scenario 1. Unconsumed smokeless powder recovered at a bombing scene has been identified as to manufacturer and product type. During the past year, the manufacturer and its master distributor sold thousands of pounds of this product to eight retail outlets in the geographical area of the blast. These outlets also carry many other powder products. When an investigator shows a salesclerk at one of these outlets a number of photographs, including photographs of an individual under suspicion because of a possible motive, the salesclerk states that this individual has bought smokeless powder in the past, but the clerk has no idea what kind of powder was bought. On the basis of this information, a law enforcement agent would probably not be able to obtain a warrant authorizing a search of the suspected individual’s premises.

Scenario 2. The unconsumed smokeless powder recovered at the bombing scene from Scenario 1 also contained a taggant that identifies the manufacturer, product, and date of manufacture. Records indicate that 100 pounds of the tagged product were sold to two retail stores in the geographic area of the blast. When investigators check the retail stores’ records, they find that three individuals bought cans of the tagged powder. One of these individuals, who has a possible motive, signed the store’s register when buying a 1-pound can of the tagged product 2 weeks before the blast. Under these circumstances, a magistrate might find sufficient "probable cause" to issue a warrant for the search of the purchaser’s premises. The search might yield incriminating physical evidence, such as other materials used in making the bomb, which would not otherwise be found.

Furnish Information That May Lead to an Indictment

Scenario 3. During the legal search of the home of a suspect in a recent bombing, law enforcement agents find the remnants of a box of black powder that contains a taggant. The tagged powder matches the powder and taggant recovered after a previous pipe bomb incident for which no arrests have ever been made. This evidence could lead to an indictment of the suspect for the earlier bombing.

Constitute Evidence at Trial That May Lead to a Conviction

Scenario 4. No unconsumed powder was found at the scene of a bombing, but taggants were found at the scene. When the taggant code was determined, investigators concluded that the bomb had been filled with black powder manufactured by company X during a particular period. During a legal search of the home of a bombing suspect, law enforcement agents find remnants of black powder containing taggants that match those found at the bombing scene. The evidence of the match could be admissible at trial as it increases the probability that the suspect manufactured the bomb in question.

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