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Terrorist explosive belt attacks: specific patterns of bone traumas

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Abstract

In cases of terrorist bomb attacks, the issue of victim identification is the principal aim. For investigators and justice, terrorists must also be identified in a timely manner. The fragmentation of bodies caused by explosive devices however makes this operation difficult. The cases presented correspond to six autopsies of perpetrators carrying explosives. Their explosive belts produced different body sections on areas correlated with the location on the body of carrying explosive charges. Indeed, cross-sectional areas are the signature of the level of explosive devices on the body, and some fracture features through the damage of certain areas of constitutional weaknesses are specific elements to consider. These elements can allow a quick distinction between victims and terrorists, in order to assist in the medico-legal process of identification.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to express our sincere appreciation to Céline Deguette, Charlotte Gorgiard, Isabelle Sec, and Lilia Hamza.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut Médico Légal, 2 place Mazas, 75012, Paris, France

    Yann Delannoy, Tania Delabarde, Isabelle Plu, Marc Taccoen & Bertrand Ludes

  2. Chu de Lille, F-59000, Lille, France

    Yann Delannoy

  3. Université Paris Descartes Sorbonne Cité, F-75000, Paris, France

    Tania Delabarde, Laurence Legrand & Bertrand Ludes

  4. Sorbonne Université, F-75000, Paris, France

    Isabelle Plu

  5. Department of Radiology, INSERM U894, Centre Hospitalier Sainte-Anne, F-75000, Paris, France

    Laurence Legrand

  6. Service de médecine légale, CHRU Besançon -Hôpital Saint-Jacques, F-25000, Besançon, France

    Antoine Tracqui

  7. Toulouse University, CNRS UMR 5288, AMIS, F-31000, Toulouse, France

    Bertrand Ludes

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  1. Yann Delannoy
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  2. Tania Delabarde
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  4. Laurence Legrand
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Correspondence to Yann Delannoy.

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Delannoy, Y., Delabarde, T., Plu, I. et al. Terrorist explosive belt attacks: specific patterns of bone traumas. Int J Legal Med 133, 565–569 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-018-1977-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00414-018-1977-3

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