Is GT200 a bogus bomb detector like ADE-651?
By Veera Prateepchaikul
Last week’s arrest of a top executive of a British company which manufactures ADE651 bomb detector on possible fraud is a welcome news in Thailand for critics of a similar device, GT200, which has been widely used by the Thai security forces in the deep South.
Jim McCormick, a former police officer, was arrested by Avon and Somerset police last Thursday after chief constable Colin Port ordered an investigation into allegations that ADE651 bomb detector was a “bogus” equipment which has failed to detect explosive devices.
The British government has also imposed a ban on the export of the device to Afghanistan and Iraq whose government has spent about US$85 million in buying the device.
The British government’s action followed a series of newspapers articles, including the New York Times, questioning the reliability of ADE651 widely used by the Iraqi forces to detect explosives and weapons in Iraq. In November 5, 2009 issue, the New York Times said that the “worthless bomb-detective divining rods” currently being used by Iraqi forces to deter terrorists might provide the basis for an extremely interesting lawsuit under the Alien Tort statue.
Maj-Gen Robert Rowe, director of the US army’s training and advisory mission in Iraq was quoted by New York Times as saying “I have no confidence that these (ADE651) work. However, Iraq forces are unlikely to dump the device altogether.
In Thailand, more than 500 GT200 bomb detectors have been in use, mostly in the deep South to deter bomb attacks by the militants. The army is considering buying more of the device which costs between 900,000-1.6 million baht apiece.
Critics who include non-governmental organizations, scientists and local community leaders have questioned the reliability of the device which they described as worthless and a waste of taxpayers’ money.
Like ADE651, GT200 which is manufactured by Global Technical, another British company, functions like a water dowsing rod. It does not have a power source, but relies on the static electricity of the man who handles the device. It has a series of interchangeable cards to detect explosives, drugs, weapons and others.
Critics have a good reason to doubt the device, citing two bomb explosions – one on October 2009 near the Merlin hotel in Sungai Kolok district of Narathiwat and another on October 19 at Pimonchai market in Yala’s Muang district. In both cases, the GT200 failed to detect any explosives, resulting to explosions which left dozens of people injured. However, security forces insisted that in one of the incidents, the perpetrators left the scene with their rigged motorcycle and returned after security forces left the scene.
Khunying Porntip Rojanasunan, director of the Justice Ministry’s forensic institute, however defended that GT200 is reliable and “better than nothing”. She said that the device should only be treated as the guidance and other devices should also be used such as ion scanner. Until there is a better method and a better device, she maintained that GT200 is still useful and necessary in the fight against terrorist bombs.
Despite Khunying Porntip’s defence of GT200, the British government’s actions regarding the ADE651 bomb detector will provide Thai critics of fresh ammunition to press ahead with their call for the army to suspend the purchase of any more GT200 bomb detector if not dump the device altogether.
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Photo : Jaroon Thongnuan