What is 'Mother of Satan' aka TATP? Why this highly unstable chemical used in Red Fort blast is a bomb of choice for terrorists worldwide
Rescue work underway after a blast occurred in a parked car near Red Fort | PTI
As the NIA investigation into the Delhi blast case progresses, it has been reported that a highly volatile chemical called 'Mother of Satan', also known as TATP, was found in the Hyundai i20 car that exploded near the Red Fort metro station.
The TATP was allegedly mixed with ammonium nitrate by the suspects, according to sources in the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL). The same chemical was allegedly present in the explosives kept at Nowgam Police Station in Jammu and Kashmir, leading to a deadly blast that killed eight.
What is 'Mother of Satan'?
Triacetone triperoxide (TATP), also known as acetone peroxide, is given the nickname 'Mother of Satan' due to its high risk of accidental detonation while manufacturing or transporting. This highly unstable white crystalline powder is sensitive to friction, shock, heat and static electricity.
Unlike conventional explosives like TNT, 'Mother of Satan' does not contain nitrogen, making it difficult to track using outdated detection scanners. Military forces generally avoid relying on TATP due to its high volatility and instead use more predictable and powerful explosives.
'Mother of Satan' has been infamous for its use in the 2005 bombings in London, the 2015 Paris attacks, the 2016 bombings in Brussels, the 2017 bombing in Manchester Arena and the 2019 Easter bombings in Sri Lanka.
Hyundai i20 and the 'premature' blast
Earlier reports indicated that the Hyundai i20 car driven by suspect Umar un Nabi on November 10 was slowly approaching a traffic signal when it exploded. Reports now suggest that he might have been driving slow because of the TATP, which could detonate with minor bump or shock. This also backs earlier claims that the Delhi blast might have been accidental, just like the explosion at Nowgam police station. Sources from security agencies earlier said the bomb was 'premature', pointing out the absence of shrapnels as well as lack of craters beneath the car after the explosion.
CCTV footage from the underground Red Fort Metro Station showed the ground shaking during the blast. More than 90 kg of explosives were reportedly stored in the exploded car.
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