The Identification of Fingerprints in a Bomb Outrage
| Date | 01 October 1939 |
| Author | John M. Reid |
| DOI | 10.1177/0032258X3901200408 |
| Published date | 01 October 1939 |
| Subject Matter | Article |
The
Identification of Fingerprints
in a Bomb Outrage
By
JOHN
M.
REID
Officer i/c Jerusalem
Fingerprint
Impression Bureau, Palestine Police
D
DRING
the recent disorders in Palestine, considerable
use of bombs, both of home and factory construction, has
been made in the form of booby traps.
At about 8 a.m. on the 15th August, 1936, a British Con-
stable, leading a military patrol along the sea beach at Tel-Aviv,
Palestine, was stopped short by an explosion in the sand near
him. On approaching the spot he found a crater measuring
approximately z! feet deep by 4 feet in diameter. About 30
metres from this crater the party found what appeared to be
another bomb lightly buried.
This
bomb was connected by a
piece of flex and electric plug to a small, closed wooden box
from which a ticking sound emanated.
The
box, when opened,
disclosed an alarm clock.
The
apparatus was immediately
rendered harmless and submitted to Police Headquarters,
Tel-Aviv, for examination.
The
bomb, which had been constructed from a piece of
rough metal piping, was found to have an unsuitable surface
for the retention of fingerprints.
The
clock, an ordinary alarm
of cheap manufacture, was submitted to the Fingerprint
Bureau, Jerusalem, for examination.
The
case of this clock at first sight appeared to be of a
black metal,
but
upon closer examination it was found to be a
bright nickel case painted over with bitumen.
The
face of the
clock, except for a few black smudges, had been left untouched.
The
purpose which this bitumen was to serve could not then
be understood,
but
whatever the object, any fingerprints on
the bright surface had been effectively obliterated. Marks of
ridge depressions could be seen in the bitumen,
but
owing to
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