SMOKE BOMBS 4.14 -= Exodus =-
One type of pyrotechnic device that might be
employed by a terrorist in
many way would be a smoke bomb. Such a device could conceal the
getaway
route, or cause a diversion, or simply provide cover. Such a device, were it
to
produce enough smoke that smelled bad enough, could force the evacuation of
a building, for
example. Smoke bombs are not difficult to make. Although the
military smoke bombs employ
powdered white phosphorus or titanium compounds,
such materials are usually unavailable to
even the most well-equipped
terrorist. Instead, he/she would have to make the smoke bomb for
themselves.
Most homemade smoke bombs usually employ some type of base powder, such
burn well, and
provide heat to cause the other materials in the device to
burn, but not completely or
cleanly. Table sugar, mixed with sulfur and a
base material, produces large amounts of smoke.
Sawdust, especially if it has
a small amount of oil in it, and a base powder works well also.
Other
excellent smoke ingredients are small pieces of rubber, finely ground
plastics,
and many chemical mixtures. The material in road flares can be
mixed with sugar and sulfur and
a base powder produces much smoke. Most of
the fuel-oxodizer mixtures, if the ratio is not
correct, produce much smoke
when added to a base powder. The list of possibilities goes on and
on. The
trick to a successful smoke bomb also lies in the container used. A plastic
cylinder works well, and contributes to the smoke produced. The hole in the
smoke bomb where
the fuse enters must be large enough to allow the material to
burn without causing an
explosion. This is another plus for plastic
containers, since they will melt and burn when the
smoke material ignites,
producing an opening large enough to prevent an explosion.
The following reaction should produce a fair amount of smoke. Since
this
reaction is not all that dangerous you can use larger amounts if necessary
6
pt. ZINC POWDER
1 pt. SULFUR POWDER
Insert a red hot wire into the pile, step back.
—COLORED FLAMES
Colored flames can often be used as a signaling
device for terrorists. by
putting a ball of colored flame material in a rocket; the rocket,
when the
ejection charge fires, will send out a burning colored ball. The materials that
produce the different colors of flames appear below.
COLOR MATERIAL USED IN
salts red sparklers
(strontium
nitrate)
(barium nitrate)
yellow sodium salts gold
sparklers
(sodium nitrate)
blue powdered copper blue sparklers,
old
pennies
white powdered magnesium firestarters,
or aluminum aluminum foil
purple potassium permanganate purple fountains,
treating sewage
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