The Birth of the Combined Explosives Exploitation Cell
by Stephen Phillips
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In the summer of 2003, IED attacks in Iraq increased dramatically with the emerging insurgency. A group of intelligence, law enforcement, and explosive experts responded, forming the Combined Explosives Exploitation Cell – CEXC.
After removal of the Hussein regime an IED insurgency began led by al–Zarqawi and the remnants of the Al Ghafiqi Project, IED assassins from Iraq’s former intelligence body – the Mukbarat. This marked a dramatic increase in IED incidents in the summer of 2003. As one of JSOC’s EOD assets, DiGuardo was sent into the fray to respond. He arrived in Baghdad with the intention of developing counter-IED CONOPS and TTPs. Shortly after arriving, DiGuardo found a group already working to address the IED problem. It was a conglomeration of British and American, civilian and military, EOD technicians and intelligence analysts. Though from different backgrounds, each member possessed the imagination and foresight to realize that a counter-IED effort would take the fight to the terrorists. Beyond realizing the need, these men each had the initiative to address it. They formed a cell, not unlike that of their nemeses.
