Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED) are lethal than many other types of terror attacks.
The vehicle if laced with large quantities of highly explosives material then parked inside an underground parking lot, the car bomb can bring down a storied house besides have catastrophic ramifications.
Security assessments conducted on various malls in Nairobi and Mombasa by Strategic Intelligence confirms that most security officers deployed to man the gates and security in those malls besides other recreational facilities have no bomb-detection equipment let alone knowledge.
This poses a high-level threat on the national security of the republic, particularly the citizens who visit these places.
While it is very difficult to detect a car bomb, there are basic procedures that can be followed at entrance checkpoints.
- Opening the vehicle bonnet and checking for any improvised and additional equipment and wiring near and after the battery compartment.
- Checking for any type of additional structures and improvised ones on the wind-shield wiper such as pipes (Pipe-Bombs).
- Checking the vehicle dash-bard system for extra switches on and inside all compartments on the driver cabin.
- Checking for unusual cuts/seams/bulging on car seats
- Checking for strange or improvised or cases under the car-seats. (Space under the car seat provides great space for terrorist to place a bomb).
- Back-seats should be thoroughly checked for any unusual stitching of the seats seam lines, bulging of the seats.
- The boot of the car has always been the choice place to place the VBIED, hence security checks must not forego checking the boot.
- Any strange wiring or cases on the vehicle must be reported. The vehicle must vetted as safe by a bombs expert if the security officers is not satisfied with the above basic check.
