Concerns Mount Over ISIS Making 3D Printed Bombs
A recently discovered ISIS drone workshop is fuelling concerns that the terrorist group is now capable of 3D printed bombs.
3D printing technology is a powerful and innovative tool, and one with the potential to enhance our lives in a positive way. But like any tool that can be considered “powerful”, it can also be dangerous in the wrong hands.
This is why a number of countries have been trying to figure out how to properly legislate against 3D printed weapons since the technology first emerged.
Now, a strange and troubling discovery in the war-torn city of Mosul may add fuel to the fire. There are indications that the terrorist group ISIS may be using 3D printing to produce their own weaponry.
Last week, Iraqi forces found a drone workshop belonging to the Daesh organization that provided insights into their attempt to build a provisional Air Force.
Within the workshop was a combination of homemade planes and commercial drones, both of which officials believe are being used to drop homemade miniature guided bombs.
Details Scarce on 3D Printed Bombs
Though details remain sketchy, a recent attack on a Syrian refugee camp near the Turkish border may show that 3D printing technology has become a valuable production tool for ISIS.
On Twitter, pictures from the Kafr Hom IDP camp bombing show that makeshift devices were used to carry explosive grenades. Some of these components were constructed with a honeycomb structure, which leads officials to suspect that 3D printing technology playing a role in their production.
If true, officials are concerned that the terrorist organization could be sharing their designs with other members through the internet. Hypothetically, it would make it easier to build guided bombs from anywhere in the world.
These homemade drones and guided bombs offer terrorist organizations a number of advantages over missile strikes. These drones can evade missile warning receivers, can’t be decoyed away from their target, and can be launched from anywhere.
More information is needed to figure out the extent that ISIS is utilizing 3D printing. But the recent discovery proves that guns aren’t the only lethal weapon that can be produced with this emerging technology.
Source: Popular Mechanics
