TATP,
the improvised explosive powder given to them by Rida Mughrabi, was probably
not even used in the bombs at the Israeli Embassy or Balfour House. Remember,
there is no evidence at all of what explosive was used. Prosecution experts
regarded TATP in particular as being highly unstable and unsuitable. Most of
the records of meetings between British and Israeli government scientists were
withheld after PII hearings, but what was disclosed revealed that TATP had actually
been ruled out at an early stage. As the judge recalled: "The note of the meeting
records, 'All agreed that TATP was a most unlikely candidate for the explosive
used in the embassy and Balfour House bombs, being far too unstable to handle
in large amounts.'" Tests had indicated that the explosive PETN or may be Semtex
had been used. Indeed, the Israelis obtained possible traces of PETN from the
rubble. TATP is actually so dangerous and unstable that it is not known to have
ever been used in a car bomb. It is not typically used by terrorist groups and
is more akin to military operations. In fact, no tests for TATP were even carried
out at either bomb site. As the judge explained: "The DRA, the [British] Defence
Research Agency, had no previous experience of TATP. The Israelis had and the
leading expert on TATP is an Israeli. They had an agent that could detect TATP
but we have no evidence that it was used." So, it was thought so unlikely that
TATP had been used that the British investigators had not even bothered testing
for it. But then, when a small amount of it was discovered in the locker rented
by Samar and Jawad, the prosecution tried to backtrack and shift the emphasis
of their case. In any event, the vague charge still allowed the prosecution
to claim that the 'terrorist arsenal' in that tiny locker was connected to,
if not those, then some other bombings planned in the UK.
