Explosive: Bringing the World's Deadliest Bombers to Justice

THE STORY OF BRITAIN'S LEADING FORENSIC EXPLOSIVES SCIENTIST, WHO FOR NEARLY THREE-DECADES INVESTIGATED SOME OF THE MOST PROMINENT NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL BOMB ATTACKS IN HISTORY. Cliff Todd devoted his life to bringing bomb makers to justice. He and his colleagues at the Ministry of Defence's Forensic Explosives Laboratory are the unsung heroes of terrorist bomb attacks - the men and women in white suits who piece together who planted the bombs, what a device consisted of and how the perpetrators might give themselves away. They played a pivotal role in uncovering the secrets behind some of the world's most horrifying terrorist outrages. Explosive tells the stories of these high-profile cases and details, for the first time, the contribution Todd and his team made in tracking down bombers during a time when Britain was under attack first by the IRA and then by Islamic extremists inspired by al-Qaeda. Explosive takes the reader into the murky world of the amateur bomb maker, and reveals what Todd's department achieved in many now infamous attacks, including the device concealed in a radio cassette player that brought down Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, the IRA attacks on Warrington in Cheshire, the Bali nightclub bombings of 2002, and the 7/7 onslaught in central London that claimed 56 lives and injured 784 others in 2005. In Explosive, Todd takes us step by step through the investigations, explaining the chemistry, the forensic work and the emotional toll on him and his staff as they sought to recreate and understand what had happened at some of the most shocking tragedies in modern peacetime history.

About the Author :
Cliff Todd, a trained chemist, joined the Forensic Explosives Laboratory (FEL) in 1987. He worked his way up to become the agency's principal forensic investigator, leading a team of specialists in explosives analysis. In the course of his work he dealt with major bombings in Britain, but also travelled extensively around the world on behalf of the FEL. He is now retired and lives in Derbyshire. 'In forensic explosives investigations the key - whatever the setting and the pressure you are under,' says Todd, 'is to try to keep an open mind and not rush to judgement.'

Review :
Cliff Todd devoted his life to bringing bomb makers to justice. He and his ingenious colleagues at the MoD's Forensic Explosives Laboratory played a pivotal role in uncovering the secrets behind many of the world's most horrifying terrorist outrages. From Lockerbie, through 7/7, to the Shoe Bomber and beyond, this elite band of unsung heroes did their duty without fanfare, and often at great personal cost. They are the technicians in white coats who stand behind the men in black, but are themselves no strangers to the killing zone. Explosive tells their fascinating and deeply moving story. Gripping! A fantastic insight into a world only few understand An incredible story about the government unit who allowed us (the SAS) to do our job Command is a stunning achievement. This is a book that sucks you in from the first page. Deeply incisive, each paragraph brings a new revelation. Al Murray's writing is as original and his conclusions as controversial as the generals he depicts. At the end of each chapter, you are left exhaling with a sense of "I didn't expect that."