UK sells fake bomb detectors to Iraq

The 57-year-old man was found guilty by a jury at the Old Bailey on three counts of fraud over a scam that included the sale of £55m of devices based on a novelty golfball finder to Iraq, British media reported.

As a result of the multimillion-pound fraud hundreds of Iraqi civilians were killed and thousands more wounded because they were installed at checkpoints in Baghdad through which car bombs and suicide bombers passed.

McCormick, who faces up to eight years in jail when he is sentenced next month, also sold the detectors to Niger, Syria, Mexico and other countries including Lebanon where a United Nations agency was a client.

He claimed they could detect explosives at long range, deep underground, through lead-lined rooms and multiple buildings.

In fact, the handheld devices were useless. Their antennae, which purported to detect explosives, and in other cases narcotics, were not connected to anything, they had no power source and one of the devices was simply the golfball finder with a different sticker on it.

“Both civilians and armed forces personnel were put at significant risk in relying upon this equipment,” said Detective Inspector Ed Heath, who led Avon and Somerset police’s three-year investigation. “McCormick showed a complete disregard for the safety of those that used and relied upon the device for their own security and protection.

He amassed many millions of pounds through his greed and criminal enterprise.”

MOL/JR/HE

Source Article from http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2013/04/23/299879/bomb/

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UK sells fake bomb detectors to Iraq

The 57-year-old man was found guilty by a jury at the Old Bailey on three counts of fraud over a scam that included the sale of £55m of devices based on a novelty golfball finder to Iraq, British media reported.

As a result of the multimillion-pound fraud hundreds of Iraqi civilians were killed and thousands more wounded because they were installed at checkpoints in Baghdad through which car bombs and suicide bombers passed.

McCormick, who faces up to eight years in jail when he is sentenced next month, also sold the detectors to Niger, Syria, Mexico and other countries including Lebanon where a United Nations agency was a client.

He claimed they could detect explosives at long range, deep underground, through lead-lined rooms and multiple buildings.

In fact, the handheld devices were useless. Their antennae, which purported to detect explosives, and in other cases narcotics, were not connected to anything, they had no power source and one of the devices was simply the golfball finder with a different sticker on it.

“Both civilians and armed forces personnel were put at significant risk in relying upon this equipment,” said Detective Inspector Ed Heath, who led Avon and Somerset police’s three-year investigation. “McCormick showed a complete disregard for the safety of those that used and relied upon the device for their own security and protection.

He amassed many millions of pounds through his greed and criminal enterprise.”

MOL/JR/HE

Source Article from http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2013/04/23/299879/bomb/

Views: 0

You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Leave a Reply

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