Post Parcel and Letter Bombs (PPLBs)

Abstract

The explosive devices, charges sent by post or by messenger services are a special group of the IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices). The lecture will show a short impression of the history of the PPLBs. The PPLBs (Post Parcel and Letter Bombs) are mainly EBTs (Explosive Booby Traps). The addressee's dynamic activity will cause the detonation of the hidden explosive mechanism. Sometimes the PPLBs are "general directed infernal machines", the detonation occurs at the target institution, for example at a post office, a city-hall, at a railway station. The paper classifies several types of PPLBs. The defence possibilities are well known in the international antiterrorist practice, but sometimes "security-holes", leakages cause dramatic situations. The author shows some examples of the occurred attempts by PPLBs.