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| Useless bomb detector risks lives | Useless bomb detector risks lives |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| A BBC Newsnight investigation has found that a so-called "bomb detector", thousands of which have been sold to Iraq, cannot possibly work. | A BBC Newsnight investigation has found that a so-called "bomb detector", thousands of which have been sold to Iraq, cannot possibly work. |
| Leading explosives experts, Sidney Alford, told Newsnight the sale of the ADE-651 was "absolutely immoral". | Leading explosives experts, Sidney Alford, told Newsnight the sale of the ADE-651 was "absolutely immoral". |
| "This type of equipment does not work," he said. "I wouldn't mind betting that lives have been lost as a consequence." | "This type of equipment does not work," he said. "I wouldn't mind betting that lives have been lost as a consequence." |
| Questions have been raised over the ADE-651, following three recent co-ordinated waves of bombings in Baghdad. | Questions have been raised over the ADE-651, following three recent co-ordinated waves of bombings in Baghdad. |
| There is nothing to program in these cards. There is no memory. There is no microcontroller. There is no way any form of information can be stored Dr Markus Kuhn | There is nothing to program in these cards. There is no memory. There is no microcontroller. There is no way any form of information can be stored Dr Markus Kuhn |
| Thirty-nine-year-old Aqeel Yousif Yaqoub was caught in a bomb at Iraq's Justice Ministry last October. | Thirty-nine-year-old Aqeel Yousif Yaqoub was caught in a bomb at Iraq's Justice Ministry last October. |
| The blast left him with injuries to his face and limbs, and damaged his take-away falafel store. | The blast left him with injuries to his face and limbs, and damaged his take-away falafel store. |
| "If they were effective," he asked, "how did the suicide car bomb reach this area?" | "If they were effective," he asked, "how did the suicide car bomb reach this area?" |
| And an attack in December killed over 120 people, prompting Iraqis to ask how the bombs could have got through the city's security. | And an attack in December killed over 120 people, prompting Iraqis to ask how the bombs could have got through the city's security. |
| Attention is increasingly focusing on the ADE-651, the hand-held detector now used at most checkpoints in Baghdad. | Attention is increasingly focusing on the ADE-651, the hand-held detector now used at most checkpoints in Baghdad. |
| 'Glorified dowsing rod' | 'Glorified dowsing rod' |
| Iraq has bought thousands of the detectors for a total of $85m (£52m). | Iraq has bought thousands of the detectors for a total of $85m (£52m). |
| The device is sold by Jim McCormick, based at offices in rural Somerset, UK. | The device is sold by Jim McCormick, based at offices in rural Somerset, UK. |
| The ADE-651 is in use at most checkpoints in Baghdad | The ADE-651 is in use at most checkpoints in Baghdad |
| The ADE-651 detector has never been shown to work in a scientific test. | The ADE-651 detector has never been shown to work in a scientific test. |
| There are no batteries and it consists of a swivelling aerial mounted to a hinge on a hand-grip. Critics have likened it to a glorified dowsing rod. | There are no batteries and it consists of a swivelling aerial mounted to a hinge on a hand-grip. Critics have likened it to a glorified dowsing rod. |
| Mr McCormick told the BBC in a previous interview that "the theory behind dowsing and the theory behind how we actually detect explosives is very similar". | Mr McCormick told the BBC in a previous interview that "the theory behind dowsing and the theory behind how we actually detect explosives is very similar". |
| He says that the key to it is the black box connected to the aerial into which you put "programmed substance detection cards", each "designed to tune into" the frequency of a particular explosive or other substance named on the card. | He says that the key to it is the black box connected to the aerial into which you put "programmed substance detection cards", each "designed to tune into" the frequency of a particular explosive or other substance named on the card. |
| He claims that in ideal conditions you can detect explosives from a range of up to 1km. | He claims that in ideal conditions you can detect explosives from a range of up to 1km. |
| The training manual for the device says it can even, with the right card, detect elephants, humans and 100 dollar bills. | The training manual for the device says it can even, with the right card, detect elephants, humans and 100 dollar bills. |
| Anti-theft tag inside | Anti-theft tag inside |
| Claims of such almost magical technical abilities would almost be comic, if the potential consequences were not so serious. | Claims of such almost magical technical abilities would almost be comic, if the potential consequences were not so serious. |
| Sometimes when I drive through checkpoints, the device moves simply because I have medications in my handbag. Sometimes it doesn't - even when I have the same handbag Umm Muhammad, retired Iraqi schoolteacher | Sometimes when I drive through checkpoints, the device moves simply because I have medications in my handbag. Sometimes it doesn't - even when I have the same handbag Umm Muhammad, retired Iraqi schoolteacher |
| Newsnight obtained a set of cards for the ADE-651 and took them to Cambridge University's Computer Laboratory where Dr Markus Kuhn dissected a card supposed to detect TNT. | Newsnight obtained a set of cards for the ADE-651 and took them to Cambridge University's Computer Laboratory where Dr Markus Kuhn dissected a card supposed to detect TNT. |
| It contained nothing but the type of anti-theft tag used to prevent stealing in high street stores. | It contained nothing but the type of anti-theft tag used to prevent stealing in high street stores. |
| Dr Kuhn said it was "impossible" that it could detect anything at all and that the card had "absolutely nothing to do with the detection of TNT". | Dr Kuhn said it was "impossible" that it could detect anything at all and that the card had "absolutely nothing to do with the detection of TNT". |
| "There is nothing to program in these cards. There is no memory. There is no microcontroller. There is no way any form of information can be stored," he added. | "There is nothing to program in these cards. There is no memory. There is no microcontroller. There is no way any form of information can be stored," he added. |
| High price | High price |
| The tags which are supposed to be the heart of such an expensive system cost around two to three pence. | The tags which are supposed to be the heart of such an expensive system cost around two to three pence. |
| "These are the cheapest bit of electronics that you can get that look vaguely electronic and are sufficiently flat to fit inside a card," Dr Kuhn told Newsnight. | "These are the cheapest bit of electronics that you can get that look vaguely electronic and are sufficiently flat to fit inside a card," Dr Kuhn told Newsnight. |
| The ADE-651 has been sold to a range of Middle Eastern countries and as far afield as Bangkok for eye-watering prices. | The ADE-651 has been sold to a range of Middle Eastern countries and as far afield as Bangkok for eye-watering prices. |
| Iraq paid around $40,000 for each device. | Iraq paid around $40,000 for each device. |
| No Western government uses them. | No Western government uses them. |
| The promotional material for the ADE-651 claims it is powered only by the user's static electricity. | The promotional material for the ADE-651 claims it is powered only by the user's static electricity. |
| The device is sold by Jim McCormick, based at offices in Somerset | The device is sold by Jim McCormick, based at offices in Somerset |
| Explosives expert Mr Alford said that he is "horrified" that the device is being exported from the UK: "It could result in people being killed in the dozens, if not hundreds," he said. | Explosives expert Mr Alford said that he is "horrified" that the device is being exported from the UK: "It could result in people being killed in the dozens, if not hundreds," he said. |
| Iraqis themselves are sceptical about the device. | Iraqis themselves are sceptical about the device. |
| "They don't work properly," Umm Muhammad, a retired schoolteacher said. "Sometimes when I drive through checkpoints, the device moves simply because I have medications in my handbag. Sometimes it doesn't - even when I have the same handbag." | "They don't work properly," Umm Muhammad, a retired schoolteacher said. "Sometimes when I drive through checkpoints, the device moves simply because I have medications in my handbag. Sometimes it doesn't - even when I have the same handbag." |
| The BBC has learned that following the December bombings, the Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has ordered an investigation into the bomb detectors, expected to report any day now. | The BBC has learned that following the December bombings, the Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has ordered an investigation into the bomb detectors, expected to report any day now. |
| FBI warnings | FBI warnings |
| Concern over the use of dowsing rods to detect bombs was first raised by American sceptic, James Randi. | Concern over the use of dowsing rods to detect bombs was first raised by American sceptic, James Randi. |
| Mr Randi has confirmed to the BBC that he is still offering Mr McCormick $1m if he can prove that the ADE-651 works. | Mr Randi has confirmed to the BBC that he is still offering Mr McCormick $1m if he can prove that the ADE-651 works. |
| In 1995, the Sandia national labs and the FBI raised the alarm over a dowsing rod device called the Quadro Tracker which they described as "a fraud" and the FBI warned: "All agencies should immediately cease using the device." | In 1995, the Sandia national labs and the FBI raised the alarm over a dowsing rod device called the Quadro Tracker which they described as "a fraud" and the FBI warned: "All agencies should immediately cease using the device." |
| In 1999, the FBI put out another alert: "Warning. Do not use bogus explosives detection devices." | In 1999, the FBI put out another alert: "Warning. Do not use bogus explosives detection devices." |
| There have been three recent co-ordinated waves of bombings | There have been three recent co-ordinated waves of bombings |
| In 2002, a test by Sandia labs in the US found that a similar dowsing rod device, called the Mole detector, did not work and performed "no better than a random selection process". | In 2002, a test by Sandia labs in the US found that a similar dowsing rod device, called the Mole detector, did not work and performed "no better than a random selection process". |
| They concluded that it did not work and that it looked "nearly identical" to the Quadro Tracker. | They concluded that it did not work and that it looked "nearly identical" to the Quadro Tracker. |
| Last month, a senior Iraqi officer involved in bomb-prevention defended the ADE-651. | Last month, a senior Iraqi officer involved in bomb-prevention defended the ADE-651. |
| Major General Jehad al-Jabiri, who appeared at a press conference with Mr McCormick following the December explosions, said he did not "care about Sandia" and knew more about bombs than the Americans: | Major General Jehad al-Jabiri, who appeared at a press conference with Mr McCormick following the December explosions, said he did not "care about Sandia" and knew more about bombs than the Americans: |
| "Whether it's magic or scientific, what I care about is it detects bombs," he said. | "Whether it's magic or scientific, what I care about is it detects bombs," he said. |
| And policemen manning checkpoints in Baghdad have told the BBC that you need to be relaxed to use the ADE-651 and that it does not work properly if the user is stressed or has a high heart rate. | And policemen manning checkpoints in Baghdad have told the BBC that you need to be relaxed to use the ADE-651 and that it does not work properly if the user is stressed or has a high heart rate. |
| In other words, the message which has got through to the frontlines is - if it does not work, blame the operator not the device. | In other words, the message which has got through to the frontlines is - if it does not work, blame the operator not the device. |
| Mr McCormick declined our request to interview him for this report, but late last year he told the BBC that he has been selling products like the ADE-651 for over a decade and that he has sold 6,000 of them to around 20 countries. | Mr McCormick declined our request to interview him for this report, but late last year he told the BBC that he has been selling products like the ADE-651 for over a decade and that he has sold 6,000 of them to around 20 countries. |
| They are in use everywhere from Thailand to Pakistan and Lebanon. | They are in use everywhere from Thailand to Pakistan and Lebanon. |
| "For a British company to be selling a piece of technology that is useless when it's meant to be saving lives is abhorrent," Lou McGrath, chief executive of the charity, Mines Advisory Group, told Newsnight. | |
| Watch Caroline Hawley's full report on Newsnight on Friday 22 January 2010 at 10.30pm then afterwards on the BBC iPlayer and Newsnight website. | Watch Caroline Hawley's full report on Newsnight on Friday 22 January 2010 at 10.30pm then afterwards on the BBC iPlayer and Newsnight website. |