Pipe bomb incidents are raising red flags

0 Comments | Deseret News (Salt Lake City), Aug 28, 2003 | by Pat Reavy Deseret Morning News

A rash of pipe bombs across the Wasatch Front has sheriff's and fire officials concerned not only about the increase in the numbers found but also that the illegal explosives are more sophisticated.

In the past week, more than two dozen pipe bombs have been discovered in Salt Lake and Utah counties. Salt Lake County Fire Capt. Jay Ziolkowski said his department responds to an average of 200 explosive device incidents per year. With four months to go in 2003, Ziolkowski said the department has already reached or surpassed that number.

"One of our bomb technicians said he didn't know how many incidents he's responded to this year because he's been too busy to stop and count them," Ziolkowski said.

Not only are officials concerned about the quantity of pipe bombs being discovered but also the quality. Some of the explosive devices investigators have found had the potential to cause serious damage, injury or even death if detonated.

"The types of bombs are more sophisticated, and that's concerning," Ziolkowski said.

One recent example of this was Monday night when a pipe bomb exploded inside a newspaper recycling bin outside Canyon Rim Elementary School. The blast blew a 2-foot hole in the side of the metal bin and started a small fire in a nearby yard.

Tuesday, South Salt Lake Police found one small pipe bomb and the remnants of three others inside a car. The owner of the vehicle then led police to a fifth pipe bomb inside his parents' house.

Saturday, five pipe bombs were found outside a thrift store in Orem. On Aug. 21, three large pipe bombs and the remains of a fourth that apparently burned were found inside a car parked near 3300 South and 1300 East, forcing the busy street to be shut down for several hours while bomb crews handled the situation.

In July, three pipe bombs were found in the area of 900 East and 5300 South. Two of the explosive devices were found after being used to blow up mailboxes.

As of Wednesday investigators did not believe any of the incidents were connected. No one was injured in any of the incidents, but investigators said it may only be a matter of time.

"Once the fuse is lit there's no control," said Jeff Sarnacki, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives resident agent- in-charge. In many cases the person who made the pipe bomb also ends up being the victim, he said.

The profile of the average pipe bomber is a male juvenile, Ziolkowski said. And finding a recipe to make explosive devices isn't hard.

"You certainly don't have to look very far to find information on how to do it," Sarnacki said, noting that not all the instructions found at places like the Internet, for example, are complete. That sometimes leads once again to the bomb maker becoming the victim.

The motive behind the pipe bombs in most cases is curiosity and juvenile pranks, Ziolkowski said. But that curiosity may also be responsible for the devices getting larger.

"There may be a desire each time to make one bigger and better or more grand the next time," he said.

Regardless of the intent, officials said possessing a pipe bomb, whether it is detonated or not, could result in federal charges.

"They're illegal, any and all sizes. The mere possession is a federal violation," Sarnacki said. "We don't take that lightly. Bomb making is a serious business."

E-mail: preavy@desnews.com