TSA Possible Suicide Bomber Indicators
- 1 page
- For Official Use Only
- June 2008
The following indicators may identify possible suicide bombers. NOTE: An individual displaying a single indicator may represent legitimate activity; an individual displaying multiple indicators would be considered suspicious.
- Clothing is out of sync with weather, location, or suspect’s appearance (e.g. long coat in hot weather; loose clothing to hide bulges)
- Displays excessive sweating, mumbling, fidgeting, or conversely, being unusually calm and detached
- Eyes are focused/Appears to be in a trance
- Hands are kept in pockets
- Pats upper body as if checking something
- Has pale face from recent shaving
- Walks deliberately, does not run
- Exhibits an unnatural gait and posture
- Unresponsive to commands, salutations
- Emits strange chemical odors
- Hands and arms may have chemical burns/bleaching from handling or mixing chemicals to make explosives