TNAG-0015-FCO40-51-Kowloon-disturbances-1967 — Page 109

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been used causing a more powerful explosion and more sophisticated detonating devices have been found. There have been very few bombs containing high explosive, Although a considerable quantity of high explosive and detonators was stolen from two explosive magazines on 15th and 19th August, there has so far been no trace of these being used in bomb making. Indeed, there is no conclusive evidence to connect the explosives theft with the terrorists.

11.

(a)

(b)

(c)

(a)

(e)

(f)

(g)

(h)

The wide variety of devices encountered includes

detonation by remote control (one case only at Tai Po on 12th July);

anti-personnel or vehicle mines electrically detonated (e. g. Aberdeen, 17th August, Queen's Road 12 September):

anti-handling devices including friction switches, electrical circuits and light-sensitive switches; other bombs in flag poles which explode on being pulled out of the ground;

home-made grenades including a number with cast metal casings and containing explosive (these are thought to be similar to those used in guerilla warfare in China prior to 1949);

explosive in lengths of CI water piping which cause a stronger blast and indicate a closer application of the theory of explosives;

time bombs, including at least one triggered mechanically by a stolen parking meter clock and others which explode when a battery becomes exhausted;

"shotgun" bombs consisting of lengths of waterpipe or bamboo packed with nails with a powder charge; these are placed pointing at hoax bombs and detonated electrically or manually;

explosive charges in packets sent through the post which are meant to explode on being opened.

Hoax Bombs.

12.

Although the numbers of genuine bombs planted are small compared with the hoaxes, the latter have proved a great nuisance to the police and bomb disposal teams who have been forced to examine every object found, and to the public which is necessarily made to observe the same safety precautions as for a genuine bomb. There is no particular pattern to be observed in the places where hoaxes are planted, and they are obviously designed simply to heighten tension and to overstretch the security forces.

13.

The planting of bombs has shown no particular geographic pattern. As regards time, the bulk of the bombs are found in the evenings, outside working and school hours. Initially it appeared that the weekends were the most popular time for planting the maximum

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