Image 17. Potentially hazardous chemicals
Home-made explosives (HME) are commonly encountered in IEDs and pose an additional hazard on a task site. Manufactured from commercially available precursor chemicals, they can pose a toxic hazard in their own right. HME precursor chemicals may be acquired legally or illegally and are usually used / stored in bulk. The presence or evidence of HME precursor chemicals proves critical in threat assessment (specifically on the supply chain of the armed group).
ׁ HINT. IED precursors include common chemicals that are used as both fuels and oxidisers in the production of HME. These include peroxides, potassium sulphate, potassium nitrate, magnesium sulphate, ammonium perchlorate, potassium chlorate and acetone, as well as fuels such as diesel.
Image 18. Evidence of precursors for the manufacture of HME
Introduction
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