UpdateBot at 15:55, 21 September 2021

2021-09-21T15:55:21Z

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{{short description|Explosive material}}
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'''Gelignite''' ({{IPAc-en|'|dʒ|ɛ|l|ɪ|g|n|aɪ|t|}}), also known as '''blasting gelatin''' or simply "'''jelly'''", is an [[explosive material]] consisting of [[collodion]]-[[cotton]] (a type of [[nitrocellulose]] or guncotton) dissolved in either [[nitroglycerine]] or [[nitroglycol]] and mixed with [[wood pulp]] and [[Potassium nitrate|saltpetre]] ([[sodium nitrate]] or [[potassium nitrate]]).

It was invented in 1875, by Swedish chemist [[Alfred Nobel]], who also invented [[dynamite]]. It is more stable than dynamite, but can still suffer from "sweating" or leaching out nitroglycerine.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Pickett|first=Mike|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3RL5OXc6KQgC&q=dynamite+sweat+nitroglycerine&pg=PA4|title=Explosives Identification Guide|publisher=Cengage Learning|year=2004|isbn=978-1-4018-7821-4|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |last=Braddock |first=Kevin |date=3 February 2011 |title=How to handle gelignite |magazine=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]] |url=https://www.wired.co.uk/magazine/archive/2011/03/how-to/how-to-handle-gelignite |access-date=30 August 2019}}</ref> Its composition makes it [[plastic explosive|easily moldable]] and safe to handle without protection, as long as it is not near anything capable of detonating it.

One of the cheapest explosives, it burns slowly and cannot explode without a [[detonator]], so it can be stored safely.<ref>[http://www.iie-online.com/ Irish Industrial Explosives Limited website]; accessed 28 July 2014.</ref>

In the United Kingdom, an explosives certificate, issued by the local Chief Officer of Police, is required for possession of gelignite.<ref>[[CITB]] Construction Ste safety, A13 Statutory Forms</ref> Due to its widespread civilian use in [[Quarry|quarries]] and [[mining]], it has historically been used by terrorist groups such as the [[Provisional Irish Republican Army]]<ref>{{cite book|title=The IRA|url=https://archive.org/details/onblanketinsides00timp|url-access=registration|last=Coogan|first=Tim Pat|date=January 2002|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan|isbn=978-0-312-29416-8|page=379}}</ref> and the [[Ulster Volunteer Force]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=Orange Bombs, part 2: Loyalists and explosives, 1972-1994|url=https://balaclavastreet.wordpress.com/tag/bombs/|access-date=2020-08-06|website=Balaclava Street|language=en}}</ref> who often used gelignite as a [[Booster charge|booster]].

==Frangex==
The 1970s saw Irish Industrial Explosives Limited producing annually 6,000 tonnes of Frangex, a commercial gelignite intended for use in mines and quarries. It was produced at Ireland's largest explosives factory in [[Enfield, County Meath]]. The [[Gardaí]] and the [[Irish Army]] patrolled the area, preventing the IRA from gaining direct access.

However, indirectly, the [[Provisional Irish Republican Army]] (PIRA) acquired amounts of the material. At the time of his arrest {{convert|3.5|kg|lb|0}} was found in the possession of [[Patrick Magee (Irish republican)|Patrick Magee]]<ref>Stewart Tendler, "Brighton charge: man in court today", ''[[The Times]]'', 1 July 1985.</ref> and {{convert|300|kg}} discovered in a [[Truck hijacking|hijacked]] [[road tanker]] in January 1976.<ref>Christopher Walker, "Dublin Government embarrassed by Ulster explosives haul as hunt for source continues", ''[[The Times]]'', 20 January 1976.</ref>

PIRA volunteer, later informer, [[Sean O'Callaghan]] estimated that planting {{convert|25|lb|kg|order=flip|abbr=on}} of Frangex would kill everyone within an {{convert|60|ft|m|order=flip|adj=on}} radius.<ref name="DM1">[[James Whitaker (journalist)|Whitaker, James]], "John and Norma Aghast at Wedding", ''[[The Daily Mirror]]'', 23 May 1998; accessed 23 June 2015.</ref> The [[Real IRA]] (RIRA) also acquired Frangex, and, in December 2000, eighty sticks were discovered on a farm in [[Kilmacow|Kilmacow, County Kilkenny]], near [[Waterford]].<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/1084015.stm "Man Released After Explosives Questioning"], [[BBC News]]; accessed 30 August 2019.</ref>

In early 1982 the [[Irish National Liberation Army]] stole {{convert|1000|lb|kg|sigfig=2|order=flip|abbr=on}} of Frangex commercial explosives from the Tara mines in [[County Tipperary]], enabling the organisation to intensify its bombing campaign.<ref>Jack Holland & Henry McDonald - INLA: Deadly Divisions pp.212-215</ref> The INLA carried out its deadliest attack in December 1982 with the [[Droppin Well bombing|bombing of the Droppin' Well disco]] in [[Ballykelly, County Londonderry|Ballykelly]], [[County Londonderry]], which catered to British military personnel, in which 11 soldiers on leave and 6 civilians were killed. A bomb, estimated to be {{convert|5|to|10|lb|kg|round=0.5|order=flip|abbr=on}} of Frangex explosive, small enough to fit into a handbag, was left beside a support pillar and when it exploded brought down the roof.<ref>[http://www.nuzhound.com/articles/irish_news/arts2002/dec4_dropping_well__Editorial.php "Emotional reminder of Droppin' Well bombing"]. ''[[Irish News]]''. 5 December 2002. Retrieved 7 April 2011.</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Alfred Nobel]]
[[Category:Explosives]]
[[Category:Swedish inventions]]

Gelignite - Revision history

UpdateBot at 15:55, 21 September 2021