Bombings and bomb scares are among the most popular tools in the terrorist arsenal. Thousands of bombings occur around the world each year, maiming and killing scores of people and costing millions of dollars in property damage. Bomb scares take their toll by causing the evacuation of buildings or public spaces and taking up the valuable time of security experts who must evaluate the threat, causing hundreds of lost work hours and decreases in productivity and revenue for companies affected.

The popularity of bombs stems largely from their malleability. A bomb can weigh as much as 10 tons or as little as a pound, and can be concealed in almost anything: a portable CD player, a duffle bag, a trash can, a car. This variability enables the bomber to suit the bomb to his or her desire, whether it is to ...