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| Terrorists May Use Pen Guns, FBI Warns |
| 2004-03-04 |
| Edited for length. The FBI is warning that terrorists could potentially use pens filled with cartridges of poison as weapons, according to an FBI bulletin obtained by Fox News. A pen gun is a small-caliber, single shot weapon that resembles a fountain pen. In its weekly bulletin to law enforcement agencies throughout the country, the FBI said that bullet cavities of pen guns could be filled with poisonous chemicals or biological toxins, including cyanide, mercury, arsenic and ricin. "The FBI possesses no information indicating that chemical pen guns are currently being used or will be used in terrorist operations in the United States; however, law enforcement agencies should remain alert to the potential use of such devices," the FBI said in the notice. The FBI noted, by way of background, that Indian authorities in December 2003 seized a pen gun during a raid on a suspected Islamic separatist’s home in Kashmir, India. Police also found 25 suspected chemical cartridges. An officer became lightheaded after breaking open a cartridge. However, the chemical agent, if any, has not been identified. "Pen guns are not new weapons; however, if the cartridges found in the Indian seizure were contaminated, that would indicate a new method of operation," the FBI said. Since early 2001, several incidents involving pen guns have been reported overseas, according to the FBI. To describe a few: — On June 18, 2003, Saudi Arabian border guards seized 10 pen guns from Yemini nationals.The bureau points out that pen guns can be easily concealed to evade detection at security checkpoints. "Except for its heavier weight, which is evident only when held, a pen gun closely resembles a standard fountain pen. There are no outward markings to indicate the pen is a firearm," the FBI said. "Furthermore, one type of pen gun has a tiny ink reservoir within the tip, so it will write if the operative is challenged. In a standard X-ray device, an unloaded pen gun may appear as a normal pen." As a big old gun nut I would normally say "How cool! How KGB!" But under these circumstances I would advise Rumsfeld not to borrow any fountain pens for a while.... |
| Posted by:Secret Master |
| #2 A one shot weapon is really best for asassinations rather than hijacking. Adding the ricin angle in is good to add a terror twist among regular Americans. |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2004-3-4 5:57:55 PM |
| #1 Not particularly cool. In the Philippines these pen guns have been made, generally as novelties, for at least 30 years. Sometimes street toughs used them, or tried to. I used to have one. Its just two brass tubes that screw together. One is the barrel. Unscrew them and you can insert a .22. There is a spring and striker in the other tube. The whole is machined to the shape of a pen. The police generally classified them as "paltiks" - homemade guns. |
| Posted by: buwaya 2004-3-4 5:48:39 PM |