Iraq to stop using fake bomb detectors in wake of Baghdad attack

RSS Feed

Iraq to stop using fake bomb detectors in wake of Baghdad attack

July 7th, 2016

Awake Goy

In the wake of the deadliest terrorist attack in Iraq since 2003, Iraq’s prime minister Haider al-Abadi has instructed all the country’s security forces – the federal and local police and the army — to stop using fake bomb detectors at the hundreds of security checkpoints across the country.

The Independent reports that al-Abadi also ordered an investigation at the Ministry of the Interior into “corrupt deals” to buy the fake bomb detectors, known as ADE 651.

A British businessman, James McCormick, purchased thousands of the novelty golf ball finders for $19.95 each, repackaged them, and then sold them to Iraq and other nations as advanced hand-held bomb detectors.

McCormick charged $40,000 for each of the repackaged golf-ball finders (see “Bomb detectors fraudster ordered to pay £1.2 million,” HSNW, 2 October 2015; and “U.K. businessman convicted of selling fake explosives detectors,” HSNW, 30 April 2013).

In 2013 McCormick was sentenced to ten years in jail for endangering lives for “obscene profits,” and ordered to pay millions in restitution.