Thursday, June 10, 2010

Militants use HIV to fight UK troops in Afghanistan

AGENCIES, Jun 10, 2010, 12.47am IST

LONDON: In tactics that’s sure to pass as “dirty war”, the Taliban is using hidden needles to infect British troops with HIV.

Hypodermic syringes are hidden below the surface pointing upwards to prick bomb squad experts as they hunt for devices, British newspaper the Sun reveals. The heroin needles are feared to be contaminated with hepatitis and HIV. And if the bomb goes off, the needles become deadly flying shrapnel.

The tactic has been used in the Afghan badlands of Helmand, and was exposed by Tory MP and ex-Army officer Patrick Mercer.

Conservative MP Patrick Mercer, a former army officer, exposed the tactic. “Are there no depths to which these people will stoop?” the Sun quoted him as saying. “This is the definition of a dirty war.”

Not only syringes but razor blades are also being buried as the Taliban use increasingly “despicable” tactics.
Protective Kevlar gloves have been issued to all Royal Engineer and Royal Logistic Corps bomb search teams.

Lieutenant Colonel David Southall, Commanding Officer of the Counter-IED Task Force said: “Improvised explosive devices remain a tactic of desperation and last resort.

“The Taliban know they can’t take us on and win in a conventional toe-to-toe fight – whilst they resort to some pretty despicable IED emplacement tactics,” he added.

From: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/uk/Militants-use-HIV-to-fight-UK-troops-in-Afghanistan/articleshow/6030024.cms

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