                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

MANUFACTURE, POSSESSION, USE, ETC., OF FIRE BOMBS OR EXPLOSIVE MATERIALS OR
DEVICES; PENALTIES (§ 18.2-85)

For the purpose of this section:
		&#8220;Device&#8221; means any instrument, apparatus or contrivance, including
its component parts, that is capable of producing or intended to produce an
explosion but shall not include fireworks as defined in § 27-95.
		&#8220;Explosive material&#8221; means any chemical compound, mechanical
mixture or device that is commonly used or can be used for the purpose of
producing an explosion and which contains any oxidizing and combustive agents or
other ingredients in such proportions, quantities or packaging that an ignition
by fire, friction, concussion, percussion, detonation or by any part of the
compound or mixture may cause a sudden generation of highly heated gases. These
materials include, but are not limited to, gunpowder, powders for blasting, high
explosives, blasting materials, fuses (other than electric circuit breakers),
detonators, and other detonating agents and smokeless powder.
		&#8220;Fire bomb&#8221; means any container of a flammable material such as
gasoline, kerosene, fuel oil, or other chemical compound, having a wick composed
of any material or a device or other substance which, if set or ignited, is
capable of igniting such flammable material or chemical compound but does not
include a similar device commercially manufactured and used solely for the
purpose of illumination or cooking.
		&#8220;Hoax explosive device&#8221; means any device which by its design,
construction, content or characteristics appears to be or to contain a bomb or
other destructive device or explosive but which is an imitation of any such
device or explosive.
		Any person who (i) possesses materials with which fire bombs or explosive
materials or devices can be made with the intent to manufacture fire bombs or
explosive materials or devices or, (ii) manufactures, transports, distributes,
possesses or uses a fire bomb or explosive materials or devices shall be guilty
of a Class 5 felony. Any person who constructs, uses, places, sends, or causes
to be sent any hoax explosive device so as to intentionally cause another person
to believe that such device is a bomb or explosive shall be guilty of a Class 6
felony.
		Nothing in this section shall prohibit the authorized manufacture,
transportation, distribution, use or possession of any material, substance, or
device by a member of the armed forces of the United States, fire fighters or
law-enforcement officers, nor shall it prohibit the manufacture, transportation,
distribution, use or possession of any material, substance or device to be used
solely for scientific research, educational purposes or for any lawful purpose,
subject to the provisions of §§ 27-97 and 27-97.2.

HISTORY: Code 1950, § 18.1-78.6; 1968, c. 249; 1972, c. 126; 1975, cc. 14, 15,
497; 1976, c. 526; 1977, c. 326; 1990, cc. 644, 647; 1992, c. 540; 2000, cc.
951, 1065; 2002, cc. 588, 623; 2005, c. 204.