title: Forensic aspects of terrorism.
abstract: Terrorist violence is criminal and requires an expert forensic investigation. However, it has little in common with assault and murder in domestic circumstances, the kind of violence experienced by most forensic practitioners. The terrorist activity in Northern Ireland has revealed the differences. Terrorist shootings involve high velocity and automatic weapons and also include cold-blooded executions. Terrorist explosions cause specific injuries which enable the events to be reconstructed. In both shooting and bombing, the investigators have to contend with rumours and allegations which inflame feelings in the locality. All these aspects are described and illustrated. Conclusions are reached that when terrorist violence erupts there must be a forensic service able to cope and that high standards of scientific investigation must always be maintained.
mesh_terms: D001344:Autopsy; D001753:Blast Injuries / Q000473:pathology; D005107:Explosions; D005554:Forensic Medicine / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D014754:Violence; D014948:Wounds, Gunshot / Q000473:pathology