BBC: "Export ban for useless bomb detector" - huckster arrested, charged with fraud

[Bolo Boffin]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/newsnight/8471187.stm

The UK government has announced a ban on the export to Iraq and Afghanistan of some so-called "bomb detectors".

It follows an investigation by the BBC's Newsnight programme which found that one type of "detector" made by a British company cannot work.

The Iraqi government has spent $85m on the ADE-651 and there are concerns that they have failed to stop bomb attacks that have killed hundreds of people.

These were basically nothing more than glorified dowsing rods. James Randi offered his $1 million dollar prize to the maker of the ADE-651, but received no response from the man. Perhaps he was too busy shredding documents?

[Bolo Boffin]

1. Another article on the matter:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/jan/22/bomb-detectors-iraq-arrest

[jaksavage]

2. Good

85 million dollars for useless bomb detectors, somebody needs to go to jail.