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Article: Technology Used to Tag Explosives Gets Second Look After Bombing
- Article from:
- The Washington Post
- Article date:
- May 7, 1995
- Author:
CopyrightThis material is published under license from the Washington Post. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Washington Post. (Hide copyright information)
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Imagine, if you can stomach it, the scene of a future terrorist
blast. Amid the wreckage, investigators use ultraviolet lamps to
illuminate tiny color-coded plastic chips that they then sweep up.
Reading the color sequence under a microscope, investigators
quickly determine the type of explosive, the manufacturer and even
the date it was produced -- essential information in tracking down
the culprits.
Sound futuristic? The system was tested successfully more than 15
years ago, but languished in the face of opposition from the National
Rifle Association (NRA) and explosives manufacturers.
Only Switzerland requires that explosives carry the plastic bits,
known as "taggants." And although bomb ...