Iraqi authorities are more than a little "peeved" at finding out that they may well have been sold a British sourced bomb detector that in fact doesn't detect bombs.
The Iraqi government has formed a commission to investigate the ADE651, known as the "magic wand".
Iraq has spent $85M on the "magic wand".
Britain banned the export of the device (manufactured by the British-based ATSC Company) last week, after tests showed that it was not suitable for bomb detection.
The British police also arrested ATSC Director Jim McCormick, on suspicion of fraud by misrepresentation.
Showing posts with label bombings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bombings. Show all posts
Monday, January 25, 2010
Monday, October 26, 2009
A Shambles
The double suicide bombing in Baghdad on Sunday that claimed more than 130 lives, and wounded hundreds more, highlights that the situation in Iraq is still far from stable.
Other news from that troubled country indicates that even the construction of the world's largest and "most secure" embassy (the US embassy) has been spectacularly botched.
Despite the US spending $700M on construction, the yet to be completed complex is riddled with serious flaws eg; "safe areas" that were not constructed according to contract specifications, walls and walkways that have begun to crack and a power distribution system that used nonstandard wiring.
There are also plumbing problems in 200 locations in the embassy compound, eg the deputy ambassador has the pleasure of airconditioning that pumps noxious sewage fumes into his residence, and deficiencies in a water treatment plant.
The cost of repairs is estimated at being a "mere" $132M.
However, the cost of running the new complex is expected to be so exorbitant that the US may well be forced to rent out part of the space.
Why on earth was such an unwieldy building commissioned in the first place?
As some local wags point out, if the Americans cannot even build their own embassy without botching it, how can they possibly expect to build a nation?
Other news from that troubled country indicates that even the construction of the world's largest and "most secure" embassy (the US embassy) has been spectacularly botched.
Despite the US spending $700M on construction, the yet to be completed complex is riddled with serious flaws eg; "safe areas" that were not constructed according to contract specifications, walls and walkways that have begun to crack and a power distribution system that used nonstandard wiring.
There are also plumbing problems in 200 locations in the embassy compound, eg the deputy ambassador has the pleasure of airconditioning that pumps noxious sewage fumes into his residence, and deficiencies in a water treatment plant.
The cost of repairs is estimated at being a "mere" $132M.
However, the cost of running the new complex is expected to be so exorbitant that the US may well be forced to rent out part of the space.
Why on earth was such an unwieldy building commissioned in the first place?
As some local wags point out, if the Americans cannot even build their own embassy without botching it, how can they possibly expect to build a nation?
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Saddam's Second Trial Continues
Saddam Hussein and six of his aides were back in court yesterday, as his second trial continued.
The defence demanded that the court order an investigation into the ransacking of the defence offices, guarded by U.S. soldiers in the heavily fortified Green Zone, last month.
Badie Aref Izzat said:
"I demand to open investigation with the American authorities because the offices were guarded by U.S. soldiers.
I have received 1429 pieces of totally black papers."
The judge ordered that the prosecutors provide a new set of documents to the defence team.
Four witnesses took the stand to testify in the trial of operation Anfal (Spoils of War) military campaign, in which prosecutors said that up to 180,000 Kurds were killed.
Ayoub Abdellah Mohammad said that his village was bombed by chemical weapons on August 24 1988:
"The court can now scrutinize the village to see the remains of bombing, rockets and shrapnel."
Tawfeeq Abdul-Aziz Mustafa said that his village was bombed by chemical weapons, and that he and several villagers buried some badly charred bodies before they fled to neighboring Turkey.
A third female witness said that she lost her husband and her son along with 27 other relatives, and have not found them till now.
However, one of Saddam's codefendants, Sabir al-Douri, from military intelligence, said that Kurdish guerrillas were collaborating with the Iranians.
Judge Ureiybi adjourned the trial till November 27th, to give the defence time to assemble a list of witnesses.
The defence demanded that the court order an investigation into the ransacking of the defence offices, guarded by U.S. soldiers in the heavily fortified Green Zone, last month.
Badie Aref Izzat said:
"I demand to open investigation with the American authorities because the offices were guarded by U.S. soldiers.
I have received 1429 pieces of totally black papers."
The judge ordered that the prosecutors provide a new set of documents to the defence team.
Four witnesses took the stand to testify in the trial of operation Anfal (Spoils of War) military campaign, in which prosecutors said that up to 180,000 Kurds were killed.
Ayoub Abdellah Mohammad said that his village was bombed by chemical weapons on August 24 1988:
"The court can now scrutinize the village to see the remains of bombing, rockets and shrapnel."
Tawfeeq Abdul-Aziz Mustafa said that his village was bombed by chemical weapons, and that he and several villagers buried some badly charred bodies before they fled to neighboring Turkey.
A third female witness said that she lost her husband and her son along with 27 other relatives, and have not found them till now.
However, one of Saddam's codefendants, Sabir al-Douri, from military intelligence, said that Kurdish guerrillas were collaborating with the Iranians.
Judge Ureiybi adjourned the trial till November 27th, to give the defence time to assemble a list of witnesses.
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