NCJ Number
223114
Journal
Forensic Science International: Genetics Volume: 2 Issue: 3 Dated: June 2008 Pages: 231-237
Date Published
June 2008
Length
7 pages
Annotation
This article describes the strategy used by forensic scientists in identifying the perpetrator of a suicide car bombing in front of the Australian embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia, on September 9, 2004.
Abstract
The strategy succeeded in determining the bomber's mtDNA, which matched that of a maternally related family member of one of four suspects. The case is an example of the application of DNA analysis as the primary means of perpetrator identification in criminal disasters. The bomb was so massive that only small tissue pieces of the bomber could be recovered, preventing a conventional approach to the identification of the bomber. There were four essential components of the strategy. One component involved the prediction of the scatter pattern of tissue fragments of the bomber as the basis for perpetrator DNA samples collection. A second component was the use of the more sensitive mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) HV1 sequence polymorphisms analysis in order to permit the examination of a larger number of samples crucial in identifying the perpetrator's tissue fragments. A third component was the use of the resulting mtDNA HV1 sequence, now defined as that of the perpetrator, for comparison with that of maternal relatives of suspects. The fourth component of the strategy was the application of autosomal short tandem repeat (STR) analysis on more limited tissue samples for the final confirmation of conclusions from the mtDNA analysis. 2 tables, 3 figures, and 28 references