Bomb component smuggling

Strategy Page:

Islamic terrorists are increasingly getting past security systems by smuggling bomb components into the target area, assembling the bomb "inside" and then planting and detonating the device inside a seemingly secure area. This has been happening in Iraq, where terrorists get jobs on bases, smuggle in bomb components and then plant them. So far, most of these attacks have been stymied when the bomber got caught assembling or planting the bomb. Same thing in Israel, where terrorists are smuggling bomb components into Israel, instead of trying to get people through, or around, Israeli while carrying a bomb. This approach does, however, put more key terrorist personnel at risk of capture. Assembling the bomb is no trivial task. This requires someone who knows what they are doing. Errors can be fatal, and loud. But this new technique does make it more difficult to keep the bombers out, even if puts the entire bomb making and planting team into a sensitive, and well guarded, area.

Attrition of bomb builders is also having an effect on the enemy's ability to build and explode his ordinance. It is not unusal for them to explode during assembly.