Dogs better at finding bombs than GT 200

[Flashermac]

Bangkok Post

27 Jan 2009

 

 

Detection device has just 30% success rate

 

 

Well-trained dogs would be far more effective in detecting explosive materials in the South than the controversial GT200 device, a Chulalongkorn University scientist says.

 

Serious doubts have been raised about the efficiency of the GT200, made by Britain-based Global Technological Co and used extensively by security forces in the three main southern provinces where insurgents have been setting off bombs for six years, killing and maiming thousands of people.

 

Molecular scientist Jetsada Denduangpan, who has made a personal study of the GT200, yesterday raised the idea of trained dogs after receiving more information about the bomb detection device from an army representative who late last year clarified its functions and limitations before the senate committee on the southern insurgency.

 

The GT200 has come under scrutiny since a BBC report last week said Jim McCormick, director of the company that sold the similar ADE 651 detector to many countries, including Iraq, had been arrested on fraud charges following the discovery that the device did not work.

 

Iraqi lawmakers have told security forces to stop using the ADE651 after the British government banned its export.

 

Mr Jetsada said Thai security officials say the GT200 is "only 30% effective, yet any devices used by security personnel should be at least 70-80% effective". He said the chip cards slotted into the device could not guarantee precise detection.

 

Thai security officials are using 535 GT200 devices, worth about 900,000 baht each, in the insurgency-plagued provinces of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat.

 

Police Senior Sgt Maj San Warongkapaisin of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit in Narathiwat said he did not rely just on the GT200 but used his experience and skills as well.

 

The Internal Security Operations Command Region4 insists the GT200 does work, saying the bomb detector had proved to provide more correct than false results.

 

The GT200 has been used in the area since 2006 and so far there had been only two mistakes resulting from users, not the device, said Isoc chief public relations officer Banpot Poonpean, citing a report of a committee investigating the mistakes.

 

He said the officers involved did not follow the appropriate procedures for bomb detection. They relied only on the device without using it with others, which are needed to confirm the initial readings of the GT200.

 

"It is not a magical device which can identify [explosive] materials at will," Col Banpot said. "The GT200 is only a helping hand."

 

The remote substance detector helps officers to narrow areas of detection by locating suspected items. But to tell precisely whether there are explosive materials present, officers need to use another two bomb detection devices.

 

Meanwhile, in Pattani's Sai Buri district, a military ranger was injured by a bomb blast yesterday on a road linking Pattani and Narathiwat, police said.

 

The bomb, hidden in a bag, was detonated as the patrol came near, injuring Thirawat Puangpet.

 

In Muang district, about 3,000 officials and teachers gathered at CS Pattani hotel to pay their respects to those killed in insurgent attacks. The hotel was hit by a car bomb in 2008 which killed two and injured 13.

 

 

 

 

[shygye]

How did he come up with 30% effective? Is this better than a random guess?

[simie]

Basicly they don't want to loose face by admitting the product they bought is a pile of shite?!

Simie.

 

[Dexi]

This was on tv here a few days ago.Basically the device seemed to work on the same principle as divining rods,ie.it had a metal rod that could swivel or swing from its central position to supposedly point to explosives.It had a set of cards supplied with the unit which were supposed to detect different things.However,when examined closely the cards were similar to the electronic tags attached to shop items to prevent theft -simple,cheap and unable to be programmed in any way.Its amazing anyone could thing these devices could work.I estmate the cost of manufacture to be around £ 20 and reports say they were sold for more than £ 50,000 in Iraq..... what a con !

[cavanami]

Dogs don't provide tea money....oppps...never said that

[Khun_Kong]

You should have seen the Thai military monkeys on TV last night talking them up and demonstrating their usefulness. They actually had a soldier walk near the general and point the thing at him. "See, it works, IF THE OPERATOR IS PROPERLY TRAINED". And, I swear to God, the moron then said that if the operator is tired, their body generates static electricity that interferes with his bribes, errr... I mean, with the effectiveness of the device. STATIC FUCKING ELECTRICITY? WTF!!?

[Khun_Kong]

BTW, they said the price was 1-3 MILLION baht per unit.

[Mentors]

UK warns world about useless 'bomb detectors' : BBC

 

A UK government will now be urgently warning all governments who may have bought devices such as the ADE651 and GT200 as they are "wholly ineffective" at detecting bombs and explosives, the British Foreign Office has told the BBC.

 

The ADE651 is made by a company from Somerset called ATSC. The director of the company, Jim McCormick, was arrested at the beginning of this month on suspicion of misrepresentation.

 

The GT200 which has been used in deep southern provinces of Thailand is sold by Global Technical in Kent.

 

The UK government has banned the export of "magic wand" bomb detectors to Iraq and Afghanistan becomes effective on 27 January.

 

The restriction is being imposed following a BBC Newsnight investigation which showed that the supposed detectors were incapable of detecting explosives or anything else.

 

There are concerns that they have failed to stop bomb attacks which have killed hundreds of people.

 

Thailand is not covered by the UK ban. Their MPs are calling for the withdrawal of 500 GT200 detectors after a number of deaths were blamed on their failure to find explosives.

 

Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban has tried to reassure MPs that the GT200 is not like the ADE651: "We use a different brand," he said.

 

Despite advice from the British embassy in Baghdad, the ADE651 is still in use on checkpoints in Iraq, while an investigation ordered by the Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki continues.

 

In Pakistan, which is not covered by Britain's export ban, rows have broken out after newspapers highlighted the continued use of similar devices at Jinnah International Airport in Islamabad.

The devices are also in use in Mexico, Kenya, Lebanon, Jordan and China.

 

Newsnight obtained a GT200 that was sold as a bomb detector and discovered that it was almost identical to the ADE651.

 

It consists of an aerial on a handle connected to a black box into which you are supposed to insert substance detection cards.

 

The head of Global Technical, Gary Bolton, told Newsnight: "There are no electronic parts required in the handle."

 

[color:red]Explosives expert Sidney Alford took apart the "black box" of the GT200, which is supposed to receive signals from the detection cards. He was surprised at what he found.

"Speaking as a professional, I would say that is an empty plastic case," he told us.[/color]

 

Alford also took apart a "detection card" and found there was nothing in it other than card and paper.

Gary Bolton from Global Technical told the BBC that the lack of electronic parts "does not mean it does not operate to the specification".

 

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2010/01/28/headlines/headlines_30121355.php

[Flashermac]

Bangkok Post

29 Jan 2010

 

Cloud hangs over future of GT200

Army says it may halt bomb detector orders

 

 

The army will not buy any more GT200 bomb detectors if the device is proven to be ineffective, army chief Anupong Paojinda says.

 

The plan to buy more of the controversial British-made bomb detectors will be put on hold if there is proof from both laboratory tests and their use on the ground that they do not work, he said.

 

Gen Anupong did not say how many more GT200 devices the army had planned to buy.

 

He said scientific tests of the device's effectiveness are welcome.

 

"As scientific investigation goes on the army uses the device and keeps records about the [success] percentage of the detectors," he said.

 

But Gen Anupong stressed that the army would continue to use the existing bomb detectors. He said the work of security forces in the deep South would be compromised if the use of the hand-held sensor device was discontinued.

 

The GT200, which cost 1.2 million baht each including chip cards, is mainly used in southernmost provinces. There are 535 devices being used in the area.

 

It has come under scrutiny since a BBC report exposed the ADE651 detector as being useless. The ADE651 and the GT200 use similar technology.

 

But Gen Anupong said: "I have asked 4th Army chief Pichet Wisaijorn and, as the user, he insists that the device is effective. Without it, authorities will find it more difficult to do their jobs."

 

To prove that the bomb detectors are effective, the army's Anothai bomb disposal unit on Wednesday demonstrated the use of the GT200 before media representatives at its ordnance department in Ratchaburi. The device appeared to work.

 

"It is not Gen Anupong saying the device is effective," Lt Gen Pichet said. "Officers in the South and the North and the current and former 4th Army commanders also say the same thing.

 

"We have bought them and if the users insist they are good, that's end of the discussion."

 

Lt Gen Pichet said GT200 bomb detectors are the best device to assure officers in the field.

 

"There might be certain flaws, but they have been fixed. We also have supplementary measures," he said.

 

Lt Gen Pichet said critics of GT200 should have suggested a better device, if they wanted to help. "Criticism is more of a discouragement," he said.

 

Jetsada Denduangboripan, a science lecturer at Chulalongkorn University who made a personal study of the GT200, yesterday continued his attack on the device and slammed it as a hoax.

 

"The GT200 cannot detect explosives," he told a House committee on national security. "It is not scientific equipment. It works on the users' hunch. It is similar to a wooden stick that people used to detect dead bodies buried in a cemetery."

 

He also poured scorn on the overall qualifications of the GT200 bomb detector, which is claimed to be capable of detecting a wide range of materials - from explosives, to drugs, uranium, banknotes and even biodegradable material such as a corpse.

 

"That's ridiculous. How can it effectively detect so many different kinds of materials?" he said.

 

He criticised the army's showcasing of the device, saying it was a demonstration, not a test of the bomb detector.

 

The panel yesterday agreed to investigate the GT200 further and ask the military and scientists to join an inquiry into the device's effectiveness.

 

Meanwhile, the British Foreign Office will warn all governments who may have bought devices such as the ADE651 and GT200 that they are "wholly ineffective" at detecting bombs and explosives, the BBC reported yesterday.

 

The GT200 is almost identical to the ADE651 manufactured by ATSC, the BBC said.

 

 

[alanturing]

It is incredible! Who will ever think there is a page dedicate to ADE 651!

 

I have readed almost all their sciencific explination and understand nothing. Is there someoane who can explain what is that? Is this possible?