A bomb recipe was found in the flat of one of the members of an alleged military-style training camp in the Urewera Ranges, a court has heard.
Tame WaiIti, Te Rangikaiwhiria Kemara, Emily Felicity Bailey and Urs Signer are on trial in the High Court at Auckland. They have denied charges of possessing guns and belonging to an organised criminal group with objectives including murder, arson and using guns against the police.
Envrironmental Science and Research (ESR) fire and explosion investigator David Neale was asked to look at a sheet found in Ira Bailey's Wellington flat.
The thermite bomb recipe gave instructions and the measurements of chemicals required to make the bomb.
"If you maintain the ratio it would cause a violent reaction which I would consider an explosion.''
Mr Neale said the explosion was not a loud bang but created a lot of light and heat.
"It can be used in many ways: to start fires, melt engine blocks and destroy pretty much anything.''
He told Justice Rodney Hansen that thermite bombs were used in World War Two to destroy trucks and artillery. The chemical process was also used to join tramlines together.
Kemara's lawyer, Charl Hirschfeld, asked Mr Neale if the thermite bomb would be used in "magic shows''.
Mr Neale responded: "I wouldn't use it in a magic show because it burns very hot and spatters liquid metal around the place.''
He confirmed that he did not carry out the experiment but had used similar ratios of chemicals before in his teaching.
The trial continues.
