In recent years IEDs have been used both domestically and internationally for unconventional warfare and terrorism. Some of the more advanced IEDs use a wireless triggering mechanism typically composed of a cell phone, two-way radio, or other small electronic device that can receive a signal from great distances. In past research the feasibility of obtaining a genetic profile directly from the explosive of an IED following handling and deflagration was examined. Due to the poor state of DNA in shed skin cells along with extreme temperatures of the deflagration, only highly degraded DNA is generally recovered from the resultant bomb fragments, decreasing the chance of obtaining a genetic profile of the assembler. Focusing on the trigger mechanism instead of the explosive may result in increased potential for obtaining a complete genetic profile, mainly from longer handling during assembly and its distance from the deflagration. In this study participants were asked to handle components of a mock electronic trigger. Steel or PVC pipes were filled with smokeless powder and affixed to the trigger, then detonated by fuse. Pieces of the mechanism were collected and DNA was isolated from the individual components, quantified, and analyzed using miniSTRs. Allele assignments were made blind before comparison to references. Results indicate that the success in identifying an individual who handled the IED by analyzing DNA from the triggering mechanism is higher than identification using the explosive device fragments.
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