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A proxy bomb is a bomb carried by someone who is forced to do so through coercion, often by kidnapping their family. The bomb can be remotely detonated, triggered by the bomber, or put on a timer. The benefit is that the person carrying the bomb will not be viewed suspiciously at checkpoints. The technique was developed by the IRA in the 1990s and has since spread to other militant and terrorist organizations.
A proxy bomb is a bomb carried by someone unaffiliated with the cause the bomb is supposed to be advancing for. These innocent individuals are forced to carry bombs through a variety of coercive tactics, and in some regions of the world, proxy bombs are a serious threat. This technique supposedly developed in the Irish Republican Army (IRA) in the 1990s, spreading from there to FARC guerrillas in Colombia, the Taliban in Afghanistan, Al-Qaeda in the Middle East and other revolutionary organisations.
Proxy bombers work much like suicide bombers. They can carry the bomb on their person or be forced to drive a car bomb to a pre-designated location. The bomb can be remotely detonated, triggered by the bomber, or put on a timer that activates the bomb at a certain place or time. In all cases, the proxy bomber dies due to his proximity to the bomb.
Initially, a person coerced into acting as a proxy bomber may be considered a suicide bomber, until investigation reveals the fact that they were actually coerced. The most common technique for forcing someone to act as a bomb by proxy is kidnapping, with the kidnappers holding someone’s family hostage until he or she agrees to turn over to the bomb. Coercion can take other forms as well, with the ultimate goal on the part of the terrorists to instill so much fear that the person feels there is no choice.
The benefit of using a proxy bomb is that the person will not be viewed suspiciously when passing checkpoints. Members of militant and terrorist organizations can be reported by law enforcement, although their links to illegal activities cannot be proven, so they would be subject to scrutiny when passing through vulnerable areas. A proxy bomb, however, appears completely innocent, sometimes passing without being detained and thus penetrating a sensitive area where the bomb can do a lot of damage.
The use of proxy bombs attracted much attention in the 1990s when they were used in several IRA campaigns to devastating effect. However, these plans ended up failing, as public opinion turned against the IRA, as many people were shocked by the proxy bomb tactic. That hasn’t stopped the technique from spreading to other troubled areas of the world, sadly, but it still remains relatively rare.
