What Is an Improvised Explosive Device (IED)?
An Improvised Explosive Device, commonly called an IED, is essentially a bomb that is made outside of official military manufacturing. Unlike military explosives that are built in factories using standardized materials, an IED is homemade
Because they are improvised, IEDs have no single design or shape. They can be hidden inside vehicles, left on the roadside, carried in a backpack, or even disguised inside everyday objects like bags and packages. This makes them unpredictable and very difficult to detect.
How IEDs Work
An IED must contain a few key components to function
- An initiator: This is the part that starts the explosion, like a firing cap or igniter.
- A switch: This controls when the device will explode — it may be triggered remotely, by a timer, or by pressure when someone steps on it.
- A main explosive charge: This is the material that actually creates the explosion and causes the damage.
- A power source: Batteries or other electrical energy sources power the trigger mechanism.
- A container: This holds everything together — anything from a metal pipe to a backpack can be used.
To make the explosion even more harmful, attackers sometimes pack the bomb with sharp objects like nails, metal pieces, or glass. When the device explodes, these objects fly through the air as shrapnel, injuring or killing people over a wider area. Some IEDs may even include chemical or biological hazards, increasing their destructive potential.
What Materials Are Used?
One frightening aspect of IEDs is that they can be made from easily obtained everyday products. Many common chemicals — including fertilizers, gunpowder from ammunition, and even hair bleach ingredients like hydrogen peroxide — can be transformed into explosives.
Every explosive needs:
- A fuel: something that burns rapidly
- An oxidizer: a chemical that provides oxygen to make the reaction more violent
An example used in many attacks is ANFO, a mixture of:
- Ammonium nitrate (fertilizer)
- Fuel oil
These materials are meant for agriculture and machinery — not bombs — but they have been misused in deadly ways.
Real-Life Examples of IED Use
IEDs have been used in many high-profile attacks, including:
- Oklahoma City bombing (1995): a truck filled with ANFO
- London subway bombing (2005): using TATP explosive
- World Trade Center bombing (1993): using urea nitrate
- Plots against airports and public spaces around the world
These incidents show how deadly improvised weapons can be, especially when used in crowded urban environments.
What Are the Effects of an IED Attack?
The impact of an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) can vary greatly depending on several factors: the amount of explosive used, the design of the device, where it is placed, and whether the explosion occurs in an open space or inside a building. Larger bombs — especially those hidden in vehicles — can hold far more explosive material and therefore cause far more destruction.
