Forensics: DNA

An adversary can use DNA forensics to collect DNA at an action site. To mitigate this, you can carefully plan the action to minimize DNA traces at the action site. For example, you can:

• Secure your hair under a hat.
• If you have to cut a fence, cut any fence holes large enough to pass through without touching the fence.
• Ensure that surfaces at the action site are not touched if they do not need to be, and that surfaces that need to be interacted with (such as a door handle) are touched by someone following DNA minimization protocols.
• Ensure that any destructive device left at the site (e.g. an incendary device with a delay) has worked as expected in tests conducted under similar conditions (temperature, etc.) The point of this is to make sure that the device will not be recovered intact by an adversary.
• Ensure that nothing is accidentally left behind such as a bag, tool, or anything that falls out of a pocket.

You can minimize the amount of DNA you leave on a surface to minimize the risk that an adversary can use DNA forensics to draw a valuable conclusion from an analysis of the surface.

You can wear gloves to avoid leaving DNA on surfaces you touch.

In one of the initial raids, police insisted that those arrested wear surgical masks to protect against Covid: the masks were later taken for DNA collection^[1]. One person who refused to wear a mask had their underwear confiscated while in police custody, presumably for DNA collection^[2].

In May 2022, DNA traces were collected from several items found by investigators at the action site, including a broken window, a glass jar, a lighter, and an intact Molotov cocktail^[3]. In March 2023, police saw the person discard a bag containing a partially eaten burrito in a public trash can. DNA traces collected from the bag's contents matched those collected at the action site.

The only evidence against Boris was that his DNA was found on a bottle cap at the foot of one of the burnt antennas from the April sabotage^[4].

When DNA was collected from someone close to Boris during a house raid, only eight and a half hours elapsed between the collection of the DNA trace and the result of its comparison with other traces collected earlier.

Francisco's DNA was found on the parcel bomb sent to the former Minister of the Interior, which was defused and didn't explode^[5].

The only clue against a suspected editor of the newspaper was that their DNA was found on a cigarette butt in the print shop raided in April 2022^[6].

DNA traces were collected from^[7]:

• Items recovered after demonstrations, including fireworks, Molotov cocktails, a lighter, and rocks used to break windows.
• Items found during raids, including clothing, gas masks, helmets, and containers filled with gasoline or other substances.

Investigators were unable to match the vast majority of the DNA traces they collected to anyone. Notable exceptions were:

• A DNA trace from a Molotov cocktail found in a raid matched an individual in the national DNA database.
• A DNA trace from the lid of a jar containing materials that could be used to build explosive devices, found in a raid, matched an individual in the national DNA database.
• A DNA trace from a lighter recovered after a demonstration matched another trace from an earlier, unrelated case, but did not match anyone in the national DNA database.

DNA traces were the only evidence against one of the defendants^[8].

DNA traces were used to convict the person accused of burning an ATM^[9].

After their arrest and imprisonment, the person accused of the explosive attack on the Lega Nord headquarters in Treviso refused to have their DNA taken^[10]. Some time after the person's refusal, prison guards searched their cell and secretly replaced one comb with another, presumably to obtain the person's DNA from the hairs on the comb they took.

The charge against Peppe was based on a match between DNA traces found inside the parcel bomb and his DNA collected from a cigarette butt during the investigation^[11].

The charges against several people were based on a match between their DNA, taken by force while in custody, and DNA traces found on “mobile objects” near the robberies^[12].

During police custody, DNA was collected from the people's clothing and from plastic cups^[13]. In one case, only nine hours elapsed between the collection of a DNA trace in custody and the result of its comparison with another trace collected earlier.

The charges against one person were based on a match between their DNA and DNA collected at the scene of the attempted arson of the electrical cabinet. DNA traces were collected both from a latex glove found nearby and from a bottle inside the cabinet — which did not catch fire because of a failed delay.

The charges against other people were based on a match between their DNA and DNA collected from a cigarette used as a delay for an incendiary device — the delay failed and the device was found intact under the police tow truck.

DNA evidence was used to convict Alfredo Cospito^[14].