INHERIT - an EU Project aiming to reduce threats from homemade explosives

Under the acronym INHERIT, which stands for INHibitors, Explosives and pRecursor InvesTigation a consortium of nine nations, mostly European, is working to reduce threats from homemade primary and main charge explosives. This paper will present a multidisciplinary approach to intervene across several stages of the terrorism timeline and how the results could reduce threats from homemade explosives (HME). During three years, the EU-funded INHERIT project develops technologies that make chemicals inert against misuse, easier to detect, and capable of yielding greater forensic value. The aim is to make it impossible for terrorists to use precursor materials for the production of explosives. Fraunhofer ICT focuses on the primary explosive HMTD (Hexamethylene triperoxide diamine) which is used in improvised detonators. Our aim is to find inhibition compounds that will prevent the synthesis of HMTD precursors that are available to the public. The different strategies which are currently under experimental evaluation will be presented.