Scorched landscapes across Europe have exposed a potentially lethal threat lurking underground.
Rusted bombs and mines from the First and Second World Wars are now endangering emergency crews responding to wildfires across the continent.
High heat has caused several weapons to explode in France, Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands. In the Dutch province of Limburg, a bomb disposal team was called out to inspect woodland near the site of heavy 1944 combat threatened by flames.
Read more…
Source: Independent
Sign up for the Counter-IED Report Newsletters
The latest news and insights delivered right to your inbox
Related:
- UK: ‘Suspicious chemicals’ alert was sparked by ‘amateur chemistry enthusiasts’ with no criminal intent
May 21, 2024
An investigation launched after the discovery of ‘suspicious chemicals’ in a police raid has been closed, with no criminal charges brought against three men arrested. The discovery on a housing estate in the Marsh Green area of Wigan more than two years ago sparked evacuations and the arrival of a bomb disposal team. Three men – ...
- Germany: Turkish citizen killed in Dusseldorf arson attack
May 19, 2024
An arson attack was behind the fire in the German city of Dusseldorf that killed a Turkish citizen among others last week, with the motive behind the incident remaining unclear, German prosecutors have unveiled. Last week’s fire and explosion, which resulted in the deaths of three individuals and injuries to 16 others, was determined to have ...
- France: Police kill man trying to set fire to synagogue in Rouen
May 17, 2024
French police have killed an armed man who was trying to set fire to a synagogue in the northern city of Rouen, Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin said Friday, May 17. “National police in Rouen neutralized early this morning an armed individual who clearly wanted to set fire to the city’s synagogue,” Darmanin wrote on X. Police ...
- UK: Man caught with homemade explosive device sparking evacuation jailed
May 16, 2024
A man who built a homemade explosive forcing around 60 people to flee their homes has been jailed for 30 months. Christopher Scarr was caught with the device in a cupboard at the property in Glasgow’s Springburn on April 17, 2023. The 41-year-old had earlier emailed a doctor’s surgery claiming he had built a “TRI factor ...
- UK: Mass poisoning leaves 25 prison guards ill when inmates ‘laced curry with zombie drug’
May 16, 2024
A ‘mass poisoning’ put prison guards in hospital after inmates allegedly added the wrong type of ‘spice’ to a ‘staff special curry’. Prisoners working in the staff canteen of the high-security HMP Swaleside, on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent, have been blamed for the incident, affecting up to 25 employees. The curry is suspected to ...
- UK: Controlled explosion carried out in Caddington as counter-terror police arrest man in Bedfordshire
May 16, 2024
A man has been arrested by counter-terrorism officers after “a number of suspicious substances” were found at a property in Bedfordshire. Police said an ordnance disposal team had carried out a “controlled explosion” at the site on Hyde Road, Caddington, last week. The 31-year-old man was arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of possession of articles for ...
- Northern Ireland: Man and woman charged with attempting to make explosives after house search
May 16, 2024
A man and woman have been charged with attempting to make explosives under suspicious circumstances and possessing firearms and ammunition in suspicious circumstances. The arrests and charges follow a proactive search of a house in the Holylands area of south Belfast by detectives from Musgrave when a number of items were seized. Read more… Source: BelfastLive News Sign up ...
- UK: Suspect materials found and injured man arrested as bomb squad investigate caravan explosion
May 15, 2024
A man who was seriously injured in a caravan explosion in Cornwall has been arrested and is now under police guard in hospital. The explosion rocked the quiet village of Drakewalls on Sunday (May 12) with the bomb squad called to the scene of what was suspected to be a gas explosion. Today (Wednesday, May 15) ...
- UK: Girlfriend and mother convicted over failure to disclose Islamist terror plans
May 14, 2024
The mother and girlfriend of two Islamist terrorists have been convicted separately of failing to disclose plans for a terror attack in two different criminal trials. Girlfriend Tasnia Ahmed, 21, from Tower Hamlets in east London, failed to report her then would-be terrorist boyfriend Al-Arfat Hassan to the police despite knowing he intended to carry out ...
- Croatia to help Ukraine clear mines
May 14, 2024
Croatia and Ukraine have signed a memorandum on cooperation between the two countries’ mine action centers. The press service of the Main Department for Mine Action, Civil Protection and Environmental Safety of Ukraine announced this on Facebook, Ukrinform reports. “Croatia will help demine Ukraine. A respective memorandum was signed between the Center for Improvement of Mine ...
- Belgium: Explosion outside house in Antwerp suburb
May 14, 2024
A house in the Deurne district of Antwerp was the target of an attack on Monday night. An explosive device detonated outside the front door of the house in the Deurne South area. Police are investigating whether the attack, in which no one was injured, is linked to the trade in illegal drugs. Read more… Source: VRT News Sign ...
- Ireland: Area cordoned off as Bomb Squad remove viable device in Co. Offaly
May 14, 2024
The Army’s ‘Bomb Squad’ has removed a viable device that was recovered in Offaly over the weekend. Gardaí and the EOD Unit were called to the scene in Castleview Park in Edenderry on Friday afternoon at around midday. The Defence Forces says their EOD specialists will now dispose of the item, as per standard operating procedures. Read ...
- UK: Man jailed after ammunition and explosive material found at East London address
May 14, 2024
Ricky Anderson, 45 (09.08.78) of Beechwood Drive, Woodford Green appeared at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Thursday, 9 May where he was sentenced to a total of five years in prison for firearm offences. Anderson was also given a five year serious crime prevention order. He had previously been found guilty of: Possession of an explosive device/substance; ...
- Ukraine: Explosives experts neutralize enemy FPV drone discovered in Kherson region
May 12, 2024
The other day, a man called the 102 special line and reported that he had found an FPV drone with an unexploded ordnance in a field in the Kherson region. In addition to the drone, the explosive experts also found and destroyed 32 152-mm artillery shells, warheads from a multiple launch rocket system, and a 120-mm ...
- UK: Unexploded bomb found on beach detonated underwater
May 11, 2024
An unexploded bomb which was found on a beach has been detonated underwater. The coastguard and the Ministry of Defence were called to Seaham in County Durham after the device was found earlier. Durham Police said the bomb was safely destroyed by an explosive ordnance disposal team at about 16:00 BST, resulting in a “loud explosion”. Read ...