Edward Snowden's recent disclosures have revealed a need to rethink the way that the current legal structure governing the
clandestine activities of intelligence agencies provides for proper oversight
by Congress and the public at large.
In the case of explosives the practical military experience of making and testing improvised explosives devices, (at times when such
activity was authorised
by the Secretary of State for Defence), having instructed others in the creation of such devices, the rehearsal of the use of such devices under circumstances parallel to those that defendants are accused, actual use of
clandestine recipes, and also chemical expertise in the synthesis procedures used in explosive preparation, are all critical to being able to assist the court in such matters.