All individuals and organisations are potential targets for postal devices and postal bombs, which have been sent in the past for political or religious reasons, for extortion and by mentally unstable individuals. Recognising postal devices is difficult, because their physical appearance is limited only by the imagination of the senders. Postal devices are now one of the most common means of criminal and terrorist attack upon organisations and individuals worldwide. For example, the US postal service was thrown into crisis in October 2001 when anthrax contaminated letters were sent to several government officials; and in December 2003 European Commission President Romano Prodi narrowly escaped unhurt after a parcel bomb was delivered to his home.
The traditional postal bomb takes many forms – parcels, padded “jiffybags”, or envelopes of any shape or size. They may be delivered by hand or via a courier as well as “through the post”. Postal bombs are generally designed to kill or maim the person who is opening them, but a parcel bomb may be large and designed to cause mass casualties and structural damage. It is usually not necessary to open the envelope or package in any particular way to initiate a postal bomb. They can often be triggered off by any, even a slight, attempt to open the outer cover. The ease with which postal devices can be sent and the anonymity afforded the sender makes them extremely attractive and deadly tools for vicious and calculating individuals. Hazardous items that have been sent by post include bombs, incendiary devices, hazardous chemicals, razor blades, needles and broken glass. key words (mail bomb, letter bomb detection, mail security)
It is imperative that all personnel who handle or receive mail become familiar with the characteristics of suspect parcels, and that they follow correct procedures to mitigate the postal device threat. Renful’s OFFICE SECURITY training course is designed for security officers, mailroom supervisors and staff, facility managers, office and building service managers, receptionists, secretaries and all personnel who normally handle postal mail. The course can be customised to the precise requirements of clients. Renful will send an instructor to present the training at your own location and participants who successfully complete all course modules will receive a Security Training Operations Programme (S.T.O.P.) Certificate of Accomplishment.
Typical Subjects included are:
- Introduction to the threat
- Past events analysis
- Suspicious signs
- Postal device threat indicators
- Postal IEDs (bombs)
- Contaminated mailings
- Projectile devices
- Non–lethal devices (broken glass, razor blades, etc.)
- Threat analysis
- Proactive mail security
- Developing a mail screening system
- Mail screening procedures
- Response procedures