Bought Any BOMB DETECTOR Lately??

This is such an incredible story that you might think it is an April Fool joke, but I assure you it is not; many innocent people have DIED because of this MOTHER OF ALL FIASCO!

The Story...

In a land far far away, businessman James McCormick found out that you can make millions in defense technology without any skill, scientific knowledge, all you need is the GIFT OF THE GAP ;)

© http://tech.yolobazinga.co

McCormick then "invented" a BOMB DETECTOR, the device ADE 651 was based on the Gopher, a golf ball finder that you can buy at a novelty shop for $19!

McCormick fitted on a "weighty" handle and an "impressive hard case" to "add credibility," he also added "computer cards" for calibrating the device, which were nothing more than pieces of cardboard.

McCormick then started a company called ATSC (UK) and sold this miracle detector to Iraqi military for as much as $60,000 apiece!

 Iraqi soldier with an ADE 651 detecting for bomb!

According to McCormick...

"The devices could bypass "all forms of concealment", detecting drugs and people along with explosives. It would work under water and from the air, and would track an object up to 1km (3280ft) below the ground.

The bomb detectors came with cards which were "programmed" to detect a wide array of substances, from ivory to $100 banknotes.

Other substances could be detected, if put in a jar with a sticker which would absorb its "vapours" and was then stuck on a card that would be read by the machine."

Impressive?

James McCormick, 56, of Langport, Somerset, with his incredible persuasive gift of the gap is said to have made £50 million from sales of his bomb detector. And more than 6,000 units were used in Iraq!!

Watch this real promotional video of the detector!

Caught out...

BBC Two's News night programme conducted an investigation into the devices sold by McCormick's company, resulting in a UK government ban on their sale in Iraq and Afghanistan in January 2010.

On Tuesday April 23, McCormick was convicted of three counts of fraud.

Richard Whittam QC, for the prosecution, said: "The devices did not work and he knew they did not work."

It was disclosed that McCormick had made millions of pounds from sales of the ADE 651, with which he had bought a farmhouse in Somerset, Nicolas Cage's former £3.5 million house in Bath with its own basement swimming pool, holiday homes in Cyprus and Florida, a £600,000 luxury yacht, and three horses for one of his daughters.The police declared that they would seek to "pursue his wealth" using the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.

In spite of the arrest and trial of Jim McCormick, the Iraqi military and police are still using them at every checkpoint in the city!!

All told, the Iraqi government has spent an estimated $122 million on these devices since 2007.

McCormick paid as much as $92 million of that back in bribes to Iraqi officials, who may or may not have known of their uselessness.

In 2010, the same agency reported that “many lives have been lost due to the wands’ utter ineffectiveness.” All the while, writes the Guardian,

Countries that still use this detector...

The virtually identical GT200 and Alpha 6 devices, which are widely used in Thailand, have also come under scrutiny in the wake of the revelations about the ADE 651!!

Pakistan Airport Security Force (ASF) claimed the detector WORK!

The United Nations force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) bought five ADE 651s at a cost of £46,000 to detect explosives in vehicles. But found that the device was "not fit for purpose".

The ADE 651 was also sold to customers in Bahrain, Bangladesh, Georgia, India, Iran, Kenya, Niger, Qatar, Romania, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates and Vietnam.

The Mövenpick Hotel in Bahrain bought one to detect car bombs but, according to the hotel's head of security, it could not even detect a firework: "It wasn’t working. It wasn’t working at all."

In the meantime idiotic Kenya police said their detector are NOT FAKE!!

Personally I feel the British authorities should be held responsible for this incredible fiasco, as far as 2008, emails were sent to the Labour minister who oversaw export controls at the time and the chairman of the Commons defence select committee about the FAKE EXPLOSIVES DETECTORS being sold to other countries!

NOTHING was done until McCormick made his MILLIONS!

If this is not the mother of all cock up?

I hope McCormick ROT IN JAIL!!

But Wait! There are more!



What is our world coming to??

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