Keeping an eye on bomb-making fertilizer
Experts share methods to keep watch on usage of ammonium nitrate fuel oil.
Ammonium nitrate is used as an oxidizing agent with fuel in bombs.
HYDERABAD:
The frequent use of an agricultural input for bomb making is a concern which has surprisingly eluded attention of people and the government in a country knocked by unabated terrorist attacks. Ammonium nitrate, a common fertilizer, is used as an oxidizing agent with fuel in the bombs. Its compound is referred to as ammonium nitrate fuel oil (ANFO).
A non-profit organisation, AMAN, held an awareness session on Wednesday which was attended by agriculturists, fertilizer dealers and teachers and students of the Sindh Agriculture University. Sardar Mohammad Shamim of AMAN told the participants that the use of ANFO was first traced in the World Trade Center blasts in 1993. “Since then, its use has been frequently reported in most of the improvised explosive device blasts around the world.”
According to Shamim, the use of ammonium nitrate among all the fertilizer varieties is hardly around seven per cent in all the South Asian countries.
Its usage is only around two per cent in Pakistan, said Sindh Agriculture University’s Prof Abdul Fateh Soomro.
“This form of nitrate is only used to grow crops on saline land. The alternatives to nitrate, which are comparatively a little expensive, are also available.” Prof Soomro underscored that without creating awareness among the farmers, the objective of preventing the unchecked sale of nitrate will not be achieved.
Manzoor Hussain, a fertilizer dealer, said that a majority of the farmers lack knowledge about which fertilizer best suits their crops. He supported Prof Soomro’s suggestion for farmers’ education.
Recommendations
In India, where the manufacture, export, import, transport, storage, sale and use of ammonium nitrate is regulated under the Explosive Rules 2008, the government has recently beefed up measures, providing armed guards to the vehicles transporting the chemical.
Pakistan, however, has yet to take similar steps for tougher vigilance.
Prof. Shuhab Ahmed recalled that in 2009, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government banned ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulfate and calcium ammonium nitrate following reports of its frequent use in the blasts. “Considering its agriculture use, a ban may not be sustainable. We need to legislate regulatory laws. Special licences, like the ones given to the arms dealers, should be given to the ammonium nitrate sellers”
Dr Suleman G Abro, who heads the non-profit Sindh Agriculture and Forest Workers Organization, emphasised sensitizing manufacturers, dealers and users of the fertilizer because they are the main stakeholders.
Meanwhile, the stakeholders were advised to adopt stringent security measures on their part during the transportation, storage and disposal processes. AMAN’s Colonel (R) Sardar Mohammad Shamim pointed to the vulnerabilities in these procedures which allow access to the chemical to the terrorists.
“The storage facility should have an adequate security system equipped with alarms, cameras and fences,” he suggested. “The manufacturers and dealers should keep a paper trail of the transport which should be guarded by security personnel, preferably from the government.”
Shamim also drew attention to how the hiring of employees, both by the manufacturers and the dealers, without vetting their background can lead to theft or robbery of the chemical. “It should be ensured that no employee comes or leaves the facility without a proper body check.”
Lastly, he advised the dealers to prepare a log book of the buyers with their details of NIC, phone numbers and address.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 26th, 2013.
The frequent use of an agricultural input for bomb making is a concern which has surprisingly eluded attention of people and the government in a country knocked by unabated terrorist attacks. Ammonium nitrate, a common fertilizer, is used as an oxidizing agent with fuel in the bombs. Its compound is referred to as ammonium nitrate fuel oil (ANFO).
A non-profit organisation, AMAN, held an awareness session on Wednesday which was attended by agriculturists, fertilizer dealers and teachers and students of the Sindh Agriculture University. Sardar Mohammad Shamim of AMAN told the participants that the use of ANFO was first traced in the World Trade Center blasts in 1993. “Since then, its use has been frequently reported in most of the improvised explosive device blasts around the world.”
According to Shamim, the use of ammonium nitrate among all the fertilizer varieties is hardly around seven per cent in all the South Asian countries.
Its usage is only around two per cent in Pakistan, said Sindh Agriculture University’s Prof Abdul Fateh Soomro.
“This form of nitrate is only used to grow crops on saline land. The alternatives to nitrate, which are comparatively a little expensive, are also available.” Prof Soomro underscored that without creating awareness among the farmers, the objective of preventing the unchecked sale of nitrate will not be achieved.
Manzoor Hussain, a fertilizer dealer, said that a majority of the farmers lack knowledge about which fertilizer best suits their crops. He supported Prof Soomro’s suggestion for farmers’ education.
Recommendations
In India, where the manufacture, export, import, transport, storage, sale and use of ammonium nitrate is regulated under the Explosive Rules 2008, the government has recently beefed up measures, providing armed guards to the vehicles transporting the chemical.
Pakistan, however, has yet to take similar steps for tougher vigilance.
Prof. Shuhab Ahmed recalled that in 2009, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government banned ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulfate and calcium ammonium nitrate following reports of its frequent use in the blasts. “Considering its agriculture use, a ban may not be sustainable. We need to legislate regulatory laws. Special licences, like the ones given to the arms dealers, should be given to the ammonium nitrate sellers”
Dr Suleman G Abro, who heads the non-profit Sindh Agriculture and Forest Workers Organization, emphasised sensitizing manufacturers, dealers and users of the fertilizer because they are the main stakeholders.
Meanwhile, the stakeholders were advised to adopt stringent security measures on their part during the transportation, storage and disposal processes. AMAN’s Colonel (R) Sardar Mohammad Shamim pointed to the vulnerabilities in these procedures which allow access to the chemical to the terrorists.
“The storage facility should have an adequate security system equipped with alarms, cameras and fences,” he suggested. “The manufacturers and dealers should keep a paper trail of the transport which should be guarded by security personnel, preferably from the government.”
Shamim also drew attention to how the hiring of employees, both by the manufacturers and the dealers, without vetting their background can lead to theft or robbery of the chemical. “It should be ensured that no employee comes or leaves the facility without a proper body check.”
Lastly, he advised the dealers to prepare a log book of the buyers with their details of NIC, phone numbers and address.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 26th, 2013.