Pipe bomb
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2008-07-13T09:15:37Z
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[[Image:Trip-wire pipe bomb.jpg|right|thumb|300px|A trip-wire triggered pipe bomb mock-up used to train US military service personnel.]]
A '''pipe bomb''' is an [[improvised explosive device]], a tightly sealed section of [[pipe (material)|pipe]] filled with an [[explosive material]]. The containment provided by the pipe means that simple [[Low explosives#Low explosives|low explosives]] can be used to produce a relatively large explosion, and the fragmentation of the pipe itself creates potentially lethal [[shrapnel]].
Premature detonation is a hazard of attempting to construct any homemade [[bomb]], and the materials and methods used with pipe bombs make unintentional detonation incidents common, usually resulting in serious injury or death to the assembler.
In many countries the manufacture or possession of a pipe bomb is a serious [[crime]], regardless of its intended use.
==Design==
[[Image:Pipe bomb 02.jpg|thumb|Different pipe bombs appearances, from a bomb awareness report issued by the US Department of State.]]
The bomb is usually a short section of steel water pipe containing the explosive mixture and closed at both ends with steel or brass caps. A fuse is inserted into the pipe with a lead running out through a hole in the side or capped end of the pipe. The fuse can be electric with wires leading to a timer and battery or can be a common [[fuse]] such as used in most consumer [[firework]]s. All of the components are easily obtainable.
Generally [[high explosives]] such as [[trinitrotoluene|TNT]] are ''not'' used, because these and the [[detonator]]s they require are difficult to obtain. Such explosives also don't require the containment of a pipe bomb. Instead, any sort of explosive mixture the builder can find or make is used.
Some of the explosive mixtures used, such as [[black powder]], match heads or chlorate mixtures are very prone to ignition by the friction and static electricity generated when packing the material inside the tube or attaching the end caps - accounting for many injuries or deaths amongst builders. If sharp objects, such as nails or broken glass, are added inside the bomb in an attempt to increase the amount of injury, these also add to the risk of premature ignition.
The addition of loosely fixed shrapnel material outside of the bomb can increase the danger of the explosion cheaply and easily. The [[Unabomber]] used this method by taping carpentry nails to the outside of his devices. Other variations include using scrap metal or [[ball bearings]].
Devices made from plastic pipe, such as PVC, or thick walled cardboard tube would not be normally considered as "pipe bombs".
==Uses==
Pipe bombs are often used by criminals, as well as paramilitaries and militias. They also have a long tradition of recreational use for amusement or mischief with no intention to cause injury to anyone - but the dangers of premature ignition, and the inherent danger of shrapnel mean that when used in such a manner they are much more dangerous than alternatives such as [[dry ice bomb]] or [[spud gun]].
*On [[20 October]], [[1930]], William Kogut, an inmate on [[San Quentin State Prison|San Quentin's death row]], tore up ordinary decks of [[playing cards]] and used them to assemble a pipe bomb, which he used to take his own life.<ref name="Playing Card Pipe Bomb">{{
cite news
|url=http://www.snopes.com/horrors/freakish/kogut.asp
|publisher=Snopes.com
|title=Urban Legends Reference Pages: Death by Playing Cards
|date=January 19, 2007
}}</ref>
*On [[July 27]], [[1996]] [[Eric Rudolph]] set up a pipe bomb which killed two people and injured 111 more in the [[Centennial Olympic Park bombing]] during the [[1996 Summer Olympics]] in [[Atlanta, Georgia]].<ref name="Centennial Park bombing">{{
cite news
|url=http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/04/13/eric.rudolph/index.html
|publisher=CNN.com
|title=Rudolph reveals motives
|date=April 19, 2005
}}</ref>
*On [[April 20]], [[1999]] [[Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold]] used pipe bombs during the [[Columbine High School massacre]]. They threw them around through the course of their [[school massacre]],.<ref name="Columbine Massacre">{{
cite news
|url=http://history1900s.about.com/od/famouscrimesscandals/a/columbine.htm
|publisher=About.com
|title=Columbine Massacre
|date=August 24, 2006
}}</ref>
*On [[May 23]], [[2005]] the [[Israel Defense Forces]] foiled a [[Palestinian people|Palestinian]] pipe bomb attack at an army [[roadblock]]. The 14-year old Palestinian boy was carrying two pipe bombs on his belt.<ref name="Palestinian attempt">{{
cite news
|url=http://www.ynetnews.com/Ext/Comp/ArticleLayout/CdaArticlePrintPreview/1,2506,L-3089073,00.html
|publisher=Ynetnews
|title=Palestinian boy caught with bombs
|date=May 23, 2005
}}</ref>
*Pipe bomb attacks were common during periods of heightened tension in [[Northern Ireland]]. On the night of [[August 7]], [[2005]] two pipe bomb attacks targeted Catholics in the village of [[Cloughmills]] of [[County Antrim|North Antrim]] in [[Northern Ireland]]. The following day, [[Sinn Féin]] Councillor [[Daithí McKay]] accused loyalist paramilitaries of being behind the attacks.<ref name="Cloughmills attacks">{{
cite news
|url=http://www.sinnfeinonline.com/news/466
|publisher=Sinn Féin's Peace Process Special
|title=Pipe Bomb attacks on North Antrim Catholics
|date=August 8, 2005
}}</ref>
*On [[August 10]], [[2006]] four pipe bombs were found in and around the city of [[Salem, Oregon]], and some suspected a serial pipe bomber was at fault. First, a bomb was found attached to a car in the parking garage of Salem Hospital. Then one was located in the parking lot of a 'Roth's IGA' grocery store. Another was found attached to a car in a parking lot in [[Dallas, Oregon]], and another found alongside a Salem roadway. The Salem Police [[Bomb disposal|Bomb Squad]] [[Detonation|detonated]] the bomb outside the 'Roth's' and rendered the rest of the devices safe. The known victims were all residents of south Salem, and a suspect is facing trial.<ref name="Salem pipe bombs">{{
cite news
|url=http://salem-news.com/articles/august112006/bomb_folo_81106.php
|publisher=Salem-News.com
|title=Pipe Bombs Found in The Salem Area
|date=August 13, 2006
}}</ref><ref name="Salem pipe bomb suspect Back in Court">{{
cite news
|url=http://www.salem-news.com/articles/february132007/salempipebombcase_021307.php
|publisher=Salem-News.com
|title=Salem Pipe Bomb Suspect Back in Court Tuesday
|date=February 13, 2007
}}</ref>
*On [[September 12]], [[2006]] after an attack by militants on the US embassy in Damascus, Syria, a van was recovered, full of conventional pipe bombs strapped to small common household Liquefied Petroleum Gas canisters. The attackers appeared to have failed to detonate the bombs; however another smaller vehicle did explode outside the embassy during the late morning surprise attack. [http://edition.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/09/12/syria.embassy/index.html] [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/5337866.stm]
*On [[October 23]], [[2006]] a university student was detained after saying he had planted two pipe bombs outside the [[U.S. Embassy]] in [[Caracas]], [[Venezuela]]. One bomb was placed outside an adjacent school, while another was found in a planter 50 feet from the Embassy's entrance. The bombs were designed to scatter pamphlets alluding to the [[Lebanon|Lebanese]] [[Guerrilla warfare|guerrilla]] group [[Hezbollah]]. Police evacuated the area and detonated the bombs. No one was injured.<ref name="U.S. Embassy pipe bombs in Venezuela">{{
cite news
|url=http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061023/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/venezuela_embassy_scare_1
|author=Fernando Llano
|publisher=Associated Press
|title=Venezuelan detained near U.S. embassy
|date=October 23, 2006
}}</ref>
<!-- COMMENTED OUT:
*the paramilitary group PM5 uses pipe bombs against enemies.
-->
==References==
{{Refimprove|date=October 2007}}
{{Reflist}}
[[Category:Improvised explosive devices]]
[[da:Rørbombe]]
[[de:Rohrbombe]]
[[fr:Bombe tuyau]]
[[he:מטען צינור]]
[[hu:Csőbomba]]
[[ja:パイプ爆弾]]
[[fi:Putkipommi]]
[[sv:Rörbomb]]