New weapon a security problem

[I. M. Esperto]

<a href="http://www.strangecosmos.com/view.asp?PicID=4335" target="_blank">http://www.strangecosmos.com/view.asp?PicID=4335</a>. .POLICE fear a terrifying new weapon is on the streets of Britain — a combined knife AND gun. . .. .The GRAD .22 has a toughened 6in blade — and the firing mechanism of a pistol hidden in its folding handle. . .. .FIVE bullets can be fired in quick succession from the concealed barrel. . .. .It is similar to weapons used by Russian and Chinese special forces for close-quarters fighting. . .. .Two of the knife-guns have already been found on passengers at Gatwick and Stansted airports. . .. .The American-made weapon is on sale in Europe and could easily be smuggled into Britain by ferry passengers too. . .. .A police source said: “We are extremely worried. We have not found any of these weapons on the mainland but the fact two have been seized at airports indicates they are here already.” . .. .Terry Gander, editor of Janes Infantry Weapons magazine, said: “The thought of a gangster being in possession of one of these things is very disturbing.” . .. .The new menace is revealed as gun crime reaches an all-time high on the streets of Britain. . .. .In the US, where the knife-gun costs £650, firearms sellers boast: “It is a state of the art combination weapon. It has the utility of a fighting knife with the covert back-up of a five-shot revolver. . .. .“It comes in a variety of styles of blades and handles. Made of the highest grade stainless steel, it is originally designed for Russian troops and fires .22 bullets as fast as you can squeeze the trigger.”. .. .Price $750.00

[Hand Solo]

Given that they'll now confiscate a nail file from you at security I don't thinks there's that great a chance of getting a 6" blade on board. Besides, only 5 bullets still leaves 100+ pax to fight the loonie!

[E cam]

It's about time that PC Plod was armed, isn't it?

[PorcoRosso]

Well, even if it's a bit worrying, keep in mind that it's very hard to combine specific qualities in "mix" (Floatplanes i.e. are not good boat and good A/C) Let's hope this will give a bad knife assorted with a bad gun ....

[jetjackel]

Cool.........Where can one be purchased?

[I. M. Esperto]

The minimum-wage morons who were "guarding" us prior to 9-11, became. .highly-paid federally-employed morons AFTER 9-11. Same idiots, same results,. .only now they get paid. .more and we wait on longer lines . . . .while they miss weapons.. .. .<a href="http://www.usatoday.com/hlead.htm" target="_blank">http://www.usatoday.com/hlead.htm</a>. .. .03/25/2002 - Updated 04:22 AM ET. .. .Weapons slip past airport security. .. .By Blake Morrison, USA TODAY. .. .Photo credit. .Passengers go through the security checkpoint at Washington's Reagan. .National Airport.. .. .Screeners at 32 U.S. airports failed to detect hundreds of knives, guns or. .simulated explosives in tests by government investigators in the months. .after Sept. 11, USA TODAY has learned.. .. .The undercover tests show widespread failures in most areas of airport. .security, despite increased vigilance and higher staffing levels after the. .terrorist attacks. The tests, ordered by President Bush, were conducted by. .the Transportation Department's inspector general from November through. .early February, when airports were on their highest alert.. .. .According to a confidential memo dated Feb. 19 and obtained by USA TODAY,. .investigators conducted 783 tests at airport screening checkpoints and. .hundreds of tests in other areas of airport security. The memo, sent by the. .inspector general to top Transportation Department officials including. .Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta, says investigators tried to carry. .guns past screeners in some of the tests.. .. . Investigators' findings. .. .Nail clippers get noticed, but knives slip through. .. .In others, they wore knives or tried to slip simulated explosives through. .checkpoints.. .. .The results:. .. .Investigators carried knives past screeners in more than 70% of tests.. .. .Screeners failed to spot guns in 30% of tests.. .. .Screeners failed to detect simulated explosive devices in 60% of tests.. .. .Overall, screeners failed to stop prohibited items in 48% of tests.. .. .Investigators either secretly boarded an aircraft or gained access to the. .airport tarmac in 48% of tests.. .Because results of the inspector general's undercover audits are considered. ."security sensitive" information by the Federal Aviation Administration and. .are not made public, comparing these failure rates with those of previous. .tests is difficult. However, congressional testimony in September by the. .General Accounting Office indicates screeners fared better in FAA detection. .tests during the 1970s and '80s than they did after the terrorist attacks.. .. ."I would say it's astounding and pretty incredible, given the high state of. .security awareness we were under during that period," said Reynold Hoover, a. .counterterrorism expert who conducts seminars on checkpoint screening.. ."There really wasn't the change we thought there was after Sept. 11.". .. .The FAA and airlines were in charge of security during the period in which. .the tests were conducted. On Feb. 17, days after testing ended, the new. .Transportation Security Administration (TSA) began to oversee security. .checkpoints.. .. .FAA spokeswoman Laura Brown said the agency "took aggressive enforcement. .action any time there was a question about proper security" after Sept. 11.. .Those actions included airport evacuations, she said.. .. .A senior TSA spokesman cited "dramatic changes" in security since the new. .agency took over. He said the inspector general's test results "re-emphasize. .and illustrate why the vigilance has to be doubled, and that's what we're. .doing." The agency recently hired 1,200 new supervisory screeners, many who. .are "highly educated" with law enforcement or military experience, he said.. .. .David Barnes, an inspector general spokesman, wouldn't say which airports. .were tested. The memo says airports "included major hubs as well as smaller. .airports such as (Virginia's) Norfolk International.". .~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~. . . . <small>[ 25 March 2002, 22:37: Message edited by: I. M. Esperto ]</small>