Lack of evidence stymies blast investigation
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The cause of Monday’s deadly explosion of a bomb whose detonator had already been removed remains unclear, with a simple accident being the latest hypothesis, joining theories of a second detonator or a crude circuit.
The blast killed three Marines and wounded six
“Even after the detonator was disarmed at the scene, the chopping up of the gas tank [containing ANFO] during dismantling may have triggered the blast,” an explosive-ordnance disposal (EOD) instructor – who dismisses the second-detonator theory – said yesterday.
ANFO is a highly flammable mixture of ammonium nitrate and fuel oil.
The home-made bomb using a gas tank went off at a Navy barracks in Narathiwat.
The EOD officer also ruled out a crude mechanism, saying it was almost impossible because the bomb makers could not see inside the tank during assembly work to set the direction of the wires, which would move towards each other to make contact.
Another EOD officer said a duplicate detonator was possibly placed inside, but this could only be done by experts.
“Maybe there was just an accidental impact during the lab-based inspection and disassembly work, after the gas tank was found at the site and taken to the Marine Task Force 32 headquarters in Bacho district as evidence,” the officer said.
The investigation of the explosion has hit a wall because the blast destroyed the lab, obliterating all evidence.
