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The Federal Bureau of Investigation and county police departments are asking the public to refrain from building and detonating improvised explosive devices during the upcoming Fourth of July holiday.
Law enforcement agencies in Hawaii have recently responded to incidents involving dangerous IEDs, according to an FBI news release.
The FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force, which includes members of the Honolulu Police Department, Hawaii County Police Department, Maui Police Department, and Kauai Police Department, work together to safeguard the public from IEDs and other explosives and want to remind the public heading into the three-day weekend that manufacturing explosives may result in state or federal criminal charges, according to the release.
“With the upcoming Fourth of July holiday, we are asking the community to be vigilant and stay safe. All explosives, including homemade fireworks, present potentially serious safety dangers,” according to the FBI.
The FBI asks the public to call 911 if any suspicious devices are found or if any suspicious activity is observed involving the procurement or use of explosive materials. If a device or explosive precursors are found, please do not touch or move the items, but rather wait for first responders to render them safe and conduct an investigation, according to the FBI.
On June 14, Kauai police arrested a 39-year-old Lihue man and recovered homemade explosive devices and illegal drugs during a raid at a home and vehicle in Hanamaulu.
Kauai police, FBI agents, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agents and the Hawaii Interisland Bomb Squad executed a search warrant and recovered five homemade pyrotechnic devices resembling M80 style fireworks and an item resembling a metallic pipe bomb, according to KPD.
Officers and agents also found cardboard tubing, combustible powders and other material used to make explosives.
On April 26, an improvised explosive device was discovered in the vicinity of Ala Aolani Street near the H201 freeway on April 26. It was approximately six inches in length with a diameter of about one inch.
Anyone with information about IED construction and detonations are urged to immediately contact the Honolulu FBI at 808-566-4300.
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