The first moments following a terrorist attack require a prompt and coordinated action on the crime scene from numerous actors to provide support to the victims of the attack and initiate the first steps of the investigation phase, including through collecting physical evidence that could lead to the identification and/or the arrest of the perpetrators of the attack, and to the prevention of further attacks.
In this context, in the framework of the Plan of Action established between the UNODC Terrorism Prevention Branch (UNODC/TPB) and the Kingdom of Morocco, UNODC/TPB implemented a national specialised training on "Terrorist Crime Scene Management" from 19 to 21 July 2016 in Rabat, Morocco, to support the Moroccan law enforcement in developing and implementing effective protocols and actions in this regard.
The training was held in cooperation with the Moroccan Ministries of Justice and Interior. More than 55 law enforcement officers, scientific police analysts, forensic experts, judges and prosecutors from 5 regions of Morocco participated in the training. The participants benefited from a tailor made technical activity combining both theoretical and practical investigative tools in the field of terrorist crime scene management with an emphasis on real time simulation exercises run by experienced and renowned forensic and investigation experts from France, Morocco, Spain and INTERPOL.
The training focused on aspects of forensic sciences related to crime scene management such as the crime scene features, extent, accessibility, number of casualties, evidence, law enforcement stakeholders and the media. It also discussed the use of forensic techniques to conduct effective investigations on a terrorist crime scene, examining the key elements of successful investigations following attacks. In addition, the importance of the physical evidence and its proper scientific treatment was extensively addressed. The training also focused on the specific precautions to be taken when arriving at a terrorist crime scene; such as protective and anti-contamination measures, health and safety considerations and procedures, preventing "over-bombing" or secondary attacks, exposure of emergency responders to CBRN products, in addition to good practices to be adopted while facing with the entrapment of sites and improvised explosive devices. The practical means for a faster exchange of forensic data at the regional and international levels were also analysed.
Participants expressed their satisfaction with the training and their wish that the UNODC/TPB continues implementing specialized training activities aimed at strengthening the capacity of counter-terrorism practitioners at the national, regional and international levels. More technical assistance and capacity building activities will follow under this Plan of Action, among them a seminar on Implementing efficient national legal and administrative framework against foreign terrorist fighters, a workshop on developing efficient criminal justice strategies and measures to counter ISIL terrorism glorification, incitement and propaganda, and a specialized training on the use of the Internet for terrorist purposes.
The terrorist crime scene management training was organized with the generously funding support from the Government of the United States of America.
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