U.S. Department of Justice

Federal Bureau of Investigation

December 4, 2007

151 Westpark Boulevard
Columbia, SC 29210
(803) 551-4200

PRESS RELEASE

“SOUTH CAROLINA TO HOST 2 ND LARGE VEHICLE BOMB COURSE”

The 2 nd FBI Large Vehicle Bomb (LVB) Advanced Post Blast Investigations Course will be held at the SC Criminal Justice Academy in Columbia, SC, December 10- 14, 2007. The attendees will be state and local law enforcement personnel assigned as public safety bomb technicians, crime scene technicians, forensic laboratory personnel and supervisory personnel responsible for site management after a vehicle bomb explosion. This 5-day course of instruction, including both classroom lecture and practical exercises, is used to train students on the employment of law enforcement based processes and procedures specifically tailored to the LVB post blast scene.

Realizing that preparing for countering this devastating threat is the first step in prevention; South Carolina was the first state to sponsor a statewide Large Vehicle Bomb (LVB) school last May, when 40 law enforcement personnel were trained at the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy in Columbia, SC. The December school will provide this critical training to an additional 40 law enforcement personnel.

Bob Heckman, retired FBI Special Agent Bomb Technician, will be leading the South Carolina course. Heckman spent a number of years working in the FBI Laboratory, examining bombing crime scene evidence. Heckman is currently employed by MPRI, Inc., an Alexandria, Virginia, based contracting firm, where he, in cooperation with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, developed the Large Vehicle Bomb (LVB) Post Blast Investigation Course. He stated," The LVB course is designed to provide public safety bomb technicians, forensic technicians and bomb investigatory personnel with the unique skill sets necessary to quickly and efficiently gather those post blast scene materials which will most support the identification and prosecution of all subjects."

Through years of experience, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has developed highly specialized processes and procedures for investigating LVB scenes. These procedures and processes have proven their value again and again by the successful identification and prosecution of the perpetrators. Special Agent Doug Edmonson, senior bomb technician in the Columbia FBI office, will also be providing instruction. SABT Edmonson has extensive experience in conducting LVB scenes and has recently returned from a special assignment to Afghanistan.

Recently Homeland Security Secretary Chertoff stated that it is not a question of if improvised explosive device (lED) attacks come to our soil but when. Preparedness is the key to countering this deadly threat. Chertoff declared"... ..our ability to manage and mitigate the consequences does have a major impact in terms of at least reducing the amount of damage and the amount of impact that that bomb does have on innocent people."

The building and detonation shots for this class will convene on Tuesday, December 11, 2007, from 9:00 a.m. to Noon at the Ft. Jackson Military Base. All media personnel are invited to witness this exciting event. Please attending, please be at Ft. Jackson no later than 8:15 a.m. at gate two (Air Force Drive) to ensure adequate time to find parking and set up equipment prior to the exercise.

In order to expedite access to Ft. Jackson, it is requested that you provide the names of those individuals, including all camera personnel, to Denise M. Taiste, Public Affairs Specialist, at 803-551-4295 prior to the event.