August 23, 2005
Iran Supplies Infra-red Bombs that Kill British Soldiers in Iraq
The "passive infra-red" devices, whose use in Iraq is revealed for the first time by The Sunday Telegraph, are detonated when the beam is broken, as when an intruder triggers a burglar alarm. They were used by the Iranian-backed Hezbollah group against Israel in Lebanon from 1995.
A radio signal is used to arm the bomb as a target vehicle approaches. The next object to break the infra-red beam - the target vehicle - detonates the device.
Guardsman Anthony Wakefield of the Coldstream Guards died from wounds inflicted by a similar infra-red device in al-Amara in May. As the "top cover" gunner, his head and shoulders were exposed in an armoured Land Rover. The bomb was set at a precise height and directed towards the road so it would hit a soldier in this position.
British intelligence reports indicate that complete infra-red devices, carefully machined in military workshops, are being delivered to Shia militants in Iraq.
British officials said Iran had also been providing Shia insurgents with "shaped charges", which use a directional explosive force to fire a metal projectile that penetrates heavy armour.
Before the introduction of infra-red devices, bombs in Iraq were usually set off by an electronic remote control signal found in a mobile telephone, car locking device, garage door opener or even a child's toy.
They could be blocked by electronic countermeasures developed by the Army in Northern Ireland.
These are powerless, however, against infra-red beams, which can be modified from burglar alarm systems.
story [telegraph]
~Suicide bombers in Iraq are mostly from Saudi Arabia while these infra-red bombs are manufactured in Iran. Iraq has become the place to be for American-hating Muslims. Pity the Iraqis who want none of it.
Does this story mean British airfields will be used by American bombers on their way to Iran?" (When Turkey refuses?) Will the RAF itself be dropping HMs-own 'smart bombs' on suspected Iranian 'plutonium factories', WMDs, strategic infrastructure, military targets etc,.etc.? With Bush's continuing war on terror are the Brits really "in for a penny; in for a pound"?
[photo of Land Rover via Allsorts Die Cast Toys/ not with story]