However, this has not translated in any action on the ground. Companies like ABC, Biel, Storium Saliba and several parking lots still use this product... Don't they have any concern for their consumers' safety at all?
These are claimed to be explosive detectors, but what they are is antenna “gadgets”. These devices were the topic of scandals in the international security field. They were clearly identified as fraudulent by many worldly governments.
Even more revolting is a claim found on a Lebanese based company website (I refrain from mentioning its name for ethical purposes):
“The range of detection is around 50 meters with obstacles and up to 650 meters in outdoor parking lots, the unit can also detect explosives submerged in water or buried underground. Detection from a hovering helicopter is also possible.”
Based on the US Navy and the US government related SANDIA laboratory reports, this equipment can’t even detect a highly relevant amount of explosives if it were right next to it! The NIJ (National Institute for Justice) report on explosive detectors only features half a page about these products... and the title start with "WARNING".
Today, these products have invaded the Lebanese and Middle Eastern markets under different names: Mole, Sniffex, Alpha 6, Quadro Tracker, ADE series... etc. However, the device is the same: it is made of magnetic pieces that help sustain an antenna in a plastic case. There are no electronic components, no power source such as batteries, capacitors, solar panels, etc. The antenna swivels freely. It just pivots. All scientific claims that it can detect explosives have been disproved.
This phenomenon is clearly due to consumers’ ignorance, despite the existence of professional and effective explosive detectors in the market…
11 comments:
Hehe.. Actually on my list of "things to blog about", I had listed "Sniffex." I get annoyed everytime I see this idiotic "device" being used. I plan to interview a few Sniffex-carrying security people and see what they think, and post the results on my blog.
Glad to see ZOD doesn't deal in this fraudulent product.
We put a lot of effort in raising awareness but unfortunately to no avail.
Although I can guarantee you that you would have seen even more of those products, if it weren't for Zod; I remain disappointed in the amount of these products that remain in use.
We raised this issue to the Security and Safety Syndicate...
Anyway, I am glad you were already informed.
Hey Sis! why dont you post this on our facebook group ... it needs some updating ;)
Hi Youmna,
I have question about the article clips on the explosives detectors. Where was this magazine sold/distributed ? How much media coverage did that represent ?
see you soon !
Marc
hey Marc,
well, it is not one magazine, it's three different magazines that are presented here.
About their distribution:
L’Hebdo Magazine 16,000 copies
Le commerce du Levant 7,500 copies
L’orient le Jour 18,000 copies
another one mentioned in the article:
Assafir Newspaper 30,000 copies
The related article published in Assafir made it to the Tayyar.org frontpage
(15 million daily pageviews, according to Alexa.com)
Articles were also published online, accessible for free, on:
Assafir.com (5 million daily pageviews, according to Alexa.com)
Lorientlejour.com (1 million daily pageviews, according to Alexa.com)
there has been more exposure... but these are the ones I have at hand at the moment.
Hi Youmna,
thanks for the figures. I suppose this took place in lebanon ?
I'm now a bit confused about language in lebanon then; I remember you telling us it's quite a mix between arabic, english and french (hi kifak ca va), but does this mean press is just as mixed, or is there a predominent one ?
Culture blows me further each time I encounter it... sometimes it'sa strong blow, sometimes it's a small blow.
Marc
The mixture exists when it comes to the spoken language. That's what we refer to as "Lebanese". However, it is slang.
As for formal writing, you cannot mix! Lebanese are often trilingual. Thus our publications are either Arabic, French or English.
The official language is Arabic.. and it is purely Arabic, no other words involved... and as you may have guessed, this is the predominant language.
Sorry for all the confusion! I hope this clarifies things.
Hi guys, we are investigating these frauds, ADE650/1, GT200 and the likes we have a blog at:-
http://explosivedetectorfrauds.blogspot.com/
We are looking for people who can give us any info on the use of this scam equipment in Lebanon and its supplier, Prosec.
regards
You may be interested to know that Mole GT200 has made a lot of inroads in China since 2007, including extensive use for the Beijing Olympics.
Only recently (25th Feb 2009) did a report exposing it appear in a Chinese newspaper.
Latest News on the fake detectors fraud from the BBC Newsnight investigation here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxArxIgB9oA&feature=player_embedded
or check out the blogs at
http://ade651gt200scamfraud.blogspot.com
http://explosivedetectorfrauds.blogspot.com/
http://sniffexquestions.blogspot.com/
More good news to come in the fight against the main criminals involved.
Anyone in Lebanon want to bring down General Pierre Hadji Georgiou at ProSec who helped McCormick sell $85 million USD worth of the rubbish ADE 651 to Iraq?
Thank you Peter for the links. It seems you are really active in the fight against this fraud. Good luck.
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