Recognising a suicide bomber as part of the disaster victim identification process

Abstract

Mass casualty events, where a suicide bomber is involved, usually result in widescale injuries and fragmentation. Following these incidents, identifying the bomber carrier is a primary objective of any investigation. The application of the principals of Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) at the scene and in the mortuary will ensure that all human remains are optimally recovered and examined with respect to the identification of the deceased and the investigation of the crime. A recent DVI/post-blast exercise completed in Western Australia will be used to illustrate the nature of typical ‘suicide bomber’ injuries and how proper application of the DVI process is vital to locating and identifying these types of offenders. Drawing on published accounts and their own recent experiences, the presenters will describe the typical features of explosive injuries, particularly as they relate to contact injuries typically seen in a suicide bomber.