S e c r é t a r i a tG é n é r a l d e l aD é f e n s e e t d e l aS é c u r i t éN a t i o n a l e

Fight against IED making

Claire ARNOULDPolicy lead on explosivesclaire.arnould@sgdsn.gouv.fr www.sgdsn.gouv.fr

Many IEDs utilize HME, which are types of explosives that

can be made:- easily: receipts are available

on the Internet - by almost anyone

- from common household chemicals that are easily

accessible and can be purchased legally

Unlike manufactured military or commercial explosives, strictly regulatory, precursor chemicals are widely available and common household products

Why using an IED ?

London, 2005

TATP

HMTD

Precursors HME

Illustration of IED making

+ +

Fight against commercially precursors

Several ways to control precursors uses:• restricting access to explosives precursors• working on chemical marking to detect easily• working on precursors denaturation to avoid

the HME making• awareness of law enforcement to discover

precursors

Restricted access to explosives precursors

An European regulation on the MARKETING AND USE OF EXPLOSIVES PRECURSORS

Regulatory n°98/2013Published February 2013

Application waiting for September 2, 2014

AIMS of UE regulatory

to establish rules ;

to harmonise it in the 27 Member States of UE

concerning the making available to the general public of explosives precursors or mixtures containing such substances that could be misused for the illicit manufacture of explosives.

DEFINITION

Member of the general public =

Any natural person who is acting for purposes which are outside his trade, business or profession.

2 lists of explosives precursors for 2 different legal systems LEGAL SYSTEM # 1 :

ANNEX I – 7 substances with concentration higher than the limits laid down in annex I

PRINCIPLE : prohibition to make available to members of the general public and for them to possess, to use or to import this 7 substances.

EXCEPTION : this 7 substances may be made available to, possessed, used and imported by members of the general public provided that the member of the general public presents a licence.

DEROGATION : for 3 substances, entering personal details into a register at the point of sale Annex I

THE LICENCE :

Granted by the competent authority of a Member State ;

Granting based on the legitimacy of the intended used of the substance ;

Mutual recognition : licences granted by a Member State are valid in all Member States ;

Validity : 3 years maximum ;

Each licence specifies for which substance(s) it is granted ;

Licence may be suspended or revoked whenever the conditions under which it was granted are no longer fulfilled. Annex I

LEGAL SYSTEM # 2 : SUBSTANCES LISTED IN ANNEX I AND IN ANNEX II (annex II :

substances without threshold of concentration)

Economic operators have to report to the national contact point of the Member State every suspicious transactions involving this substances (suspicion that the substance is intended for the production of home-made explosives).

FOR ALL SUBSTANCES, EVEN NON-SCHEDULED SUBSTANCES :

Obligation to report suspicious transactions.

The Commission draw up the list of non-scheduled substances which are identified as having been used for the manufacture of home-made explosives. Annex I

Annex II

THE ECONOMIC OPERATORS HAVE TO :

1. Verify the purchasers’ licences ;

2. Keep a record of the transactions ;

3. Indicate on the packaging that the purchase, possession or use of the goods (those containing the substances listed in annex I) is subject to a licence ;

4. Report significant thefts of the substances listed in annexes I and II.

Each Member State shall lay down rules on penalties applicable to infringements of these obligations.

SUBSTANCES LISTED IN ANNEX I OF THE PROPOSAL OF REGULATION

Name of the substance Minimum amountHydrogen peroxide 12 % w/w

Nitromethane 30 % w/wNitric acid 3 % w/w

Potassium chlorate 40 % w/wPotassium perchlorate 40 % w/w

Sodium chlorate 40 % w/wSodium perchlorate 40 % w/w

Ammonium nitrate16 % by weight of

nitrogen in relation to ammonium nitrate

SUBSTANCES LISTED IN ANNEX II OF THE PROPOSAL OF REGULATION

HexamineSulphuric acid

AcetonePotassium nitrate

Sodium nitrateCalcium nitrate

Ammonium calcium nitrate

Working on chemical marking

AIM: markers to increase the detectability of invisble bombs will be developed

Characteristics of markers/additives: - suit specific detectors- environmentally fridenly, non toxic, safe to health- do not change the proprieties of substances

Working on precursors denaturation

Two types of work are doing:- Hydrogen peroxyde: identify a substance to add to diluted precursor to avoid itsconcentration- TATP: identify a substance to add to acetone to avoid the TATP synthesis

Awareness of law enforcement to discover precursors

- Several supports:Precursors HME

- Poster in progress

Questions?