Bureau of Sabotage
Pilot to be Sentenced in Sabotage That Crippled Quebec Power Grid
The exact method used by Dubé to sabotage the lines, that transport electricity from hydroelectric dams in northern Quebec, is unknown because a publication ban was ordered on much of the testimony during the 27-day trial. Prosecutors sought the ban to protect national security and, presumably, to discourage copycats.
The 24-page judgment was also redacted, with references to the method used to disable the lines blacked out. However, Judge Paul Chevalier quoted an expert witness from Canada’s National Research Council as saying the technique had been used during conflicts in Iraq, Kosovo and Serbia and was “easily accessible on the Internet.”
A close reading of the judgment indicates that unidentified materials were dropped on the lines from the plane at three locations on the same day, prompting short circuits that ricocheted across the Hydro-Quebec grid.
A graphite bomb (also known as the “Blackout Bomb” or the “Soft Bomb”) is a non-lethal weapon used to disable electrical power systems. Graphite bombs work by spreading a cloud of extremely fine, chemically treated carbon filaments over electrical components, causing a short-circuit and a disruption of the electrical supply. The filaments are only a few hundredths of an inch thick and can float in the air like a dense cloud. The weapon is sometimes referred to as a “soft bomb”, since its effects are largely confined to the targeted electrical power facility, with minimal risk of collateral damage. Graphite bombs only work on power lines that are not insulated.
The graphite bomb was first used against Iraq in the Gulf War (1990–1991), knocking out 85% of the electrical supply. Similarly, the BLU-114/B “Soft-Bomb” graphite bomb was used by NATO against Serbia in May 1999, disabling 70% of that country’s power grid. After initial success in disabling Serbian electric power systems, the electric supply was restored in less than 24 hours. The BLU-114/B was again used a few days later to counter Serbian efforts to restore damage caused by the initial attack. In the later stage of Operation Allied Force, NATO’s air forces used conventional bombs and rockets to target power highlines and transformer stations.