CEPOL course highlights vital role of forensic science in the fight against terrorism

The first CEPOL course ‘Forensic Sciences against Terrorism’ took part in Paris, France on 22-26 March 2010. The aim of the course was to enhance the use of forensic sciences by the Senior Investigation Officers in order to fight terrorism.

CEPOL course 5/2010 was organised under the aegis of the Gendarmerie Nationale and Forensic Sciences Institute. Bringing together 24 participants from 17 Member States and one from a Candidate country, the participants were mainly senior police officers from European investigation police services or from forensic laboratories or institutes in the Member States.

During the course, participants heard about the basics of forensics, forensic intelligence during the London bombings in 2005 from John Brunsden from the Metropolitan Police (UK), forensic intelligence applied to Improvised Explosive Device (IED) from Paul Stuar Cariker (FBI/USA) and the 2004 Atocha case with the focus on crime scene management from Anna Isabel Ferandez Garcia, from the Spanish National Police.

Participants also received an introduction to Europol's Analytical Working Files (AWF) and criminal and financial analysis, as well as had sessions on the forensic support in terrorist international investigation by Xavier Laroche from the United Nations Special Tribunal for Lebonon, Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear and forensic assistance software by Frank Crispino from France.

A special outdoor session was recreated during the course to demonstrate a Gendarmerie Nationale's forensic team managing a bomb scene. This gave the participants an opportunity to react, share and exchange ideas on this particular aspect of an investigation.

At the end of the week, the feedback indicated that the participants recognised and appreciated both the added value of this CEPOL course.

Colonel Francois Daoust, Head of the Gendarmerie Forensic Sciences Institute, said: “The objective of the course is not directed towards the exchange of scientific information, rather, the exchange was focused on criminal investigations against terrorism and the benefits brought to it by the forensic sciences and the new analytical tools now available.”

A second course on the same topic (CEPOL course 6/2010) will be held from the 8-12 November 2010 in Budapest, Hungary.

For further information, please contact: Lieutenant Jérôme Lachevre Direction générale de la gendarmerie nationale Sous-direction de la coopération internationale BCPI/Section Europol/CEPOL Direct tel: (00.33) 1 56 28 69 28 Email: jerome.lachevre@gendarmerie.interieur.gouv.fr