Tripoli, 14 May 2013:
The full forensic report by the Mines and Explosives Department in the Ministry of Defence has been released and is reproduced below in full:
To the Chief of Staff:
We would like to inform you that following close examination of the explosion site, near Jalaa Hospital on Monday, 13 May 2013, the following facts were determined;
1- The vehicle which was carrying the explosives was a grey Toyota, the said vehicle was totally destroyed with exception of a small engine part which was used to determine the car type and another tiny part from which the colour of the vehicle was determined.
2- The vehicle was carrying explosives and was not booby-trapped, the vehicle was carrying between 15 to 20 kilograms of explosives.
3- The explosives type that were carried were, "terylene”, the type used in anti-tank shells, this fact was based on the total destruction to the vehicle and on the damage caused to near-by cars, because this type of explosives is the only one that can reach a temperature of over 2000 degrees.
4- It was also determined that the vehicle was on the move at the time of the explosion.
5- The explosion proximity reached more than 300 meters, this fact was determined when a car parked approximately this distance away from the explosion got damaged and its owner was killed.
6- The explosion was initiated from inside the vehicle, when a car passenger was tampering with an old piece of explosives which caused the rest to ignite and hence resulted in a huge explosion.
7- Human casualties and material damage were caused.
Mines and Explosives Expert
Ministry of Defence