2014 - NEW YEAR. SOME JOY, BUT STILL MUCH NONSENSE

Hello and a happy New Year to our faithful readers. Well, not all of them! The ones that don't deserve a happy New Year know who they are.

2013 was a mixed year for the Fake Explosives Detectors Campaign. Naturally we celebrated the convictions and jailing of James McCormick (ADE651) and Gary Bolton (GT200). Hope you are enjoying your surroundings boys. Of course, we await the Proceeds of Crime actions against these two, and hope that they will be unable to comply, hence allowing them to spend even more time at Her Majesty's pleasure (i.e. in prison), given that the Judge was sadly limited in the sentences he could hand out.

On the down side we saw another of the crooks, Simon Sherrard (ALPHA6) manage to convince a jury he was innocent of fraud. A crying shame! This year will see the re-trial of his partners, Sam and Joan Tree. We will of course report on that, subject to reporting restrictions.

Other bad news included reports of ongoing use of the ADE651 in Iraq, and the GT200 in Mexico, even after the convictions of McCormick and Bolton. Just goes to show what a mad World we inhabit.

Sadly we have yet to see any action in Germany against David Vollmar and Frank Trier at Unival, where they are still selling the entirely useless HEDD1 (formerly known as Sniffex). We hold out hope that they will eventually be rounded up. Of course, Yuri markov, who invented Sniffex, and managed to evade prosecution for fraud in the U.S. by running away back to Bulgaria may have been a bit worried that one of his co-conspirators was jailed in the U.S., some 7 years after the Sniffex case blew up. We still hope the FBI will seek to extradite Markov.

There are so many loose ends to the fake detectors fraud, but after nearly five and half years of our campaign, at least we can be grateful for some progress against this despicable trade.

Naturally we salute our old friend Techowiz, and wish him a great New Year. Hoping to be sharing a drink or two with him again soon.

Will leave it there for now, but you may be sure this is not the last you have heard from us.

Au revoir. 

SOME NEWS -UPDATED

1. We have been informed that Mr Anthony Williamson who made and sold the XK-9 variant of the fake detector received a suspended sentence. This was anticipated given that he is apparently in very poor health, and that we believe there were no reports of him actually having sold any units.

2. We also have information that the retrial of Mr Sam Tree and Mrs Tree in connection with the Alpha 6 fake detector has commenced. This following their earlier trial where the jury was unable to agree on a verdict. 

UPDATED 1632 GMT

Apologies. We have received further information regarding the retrial of the Trees. This suggests that the retrial has not commenced. I am waiting for guidance on reporting restrictions and will update as and when possible.

THE MADELEINE McCANN CONNECTION

NEWS FROM THE ALPHA 6 TRIAL

Fascinating!!!!

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/05/29/madeleine-mccann-news-photograph-missing-girl-scam-device_n_3352772.html?utm_hp_ref=uk

UPDATE 9 JUNE 2013

As a follow up to the above story, you may also be fascinated to read the following:

 http://www.hamhigh.co.uk/news/court-crime/fake_bomb_detectors_located_madeleine_mccann_hampstead_garden_suburb_man_tells_old_bailey_1_2226225

Particular highlights are:

Simon Sherrard, of Hill Rise, Hampstead Garden Suburb, said the phony Alpha 6 device had indicated roughly where the missing girl was. “She was either in Ireland or somewhere in middle or Northern Europe,” he said.

Well, that narrows it down a bit doesn't it folks!

Sherrard, 50, described how he located her by taking the device into London and “walking in circles three metres in radius”.

So, no doubt we will be expecting a major breakthrough on the McCann case as a result......errrr, sometime in the next 20 years or so, perhaps, maybe, possibly........

TRIAL DATES UPDATE

We can confirm that the trial on charges of fraud of Simon Sherrard, Sam and Joan Tree, in connection with the Alpha 6 'detector' is due to commence on 28 May.

We now also have confirmation that the trial on charges of fraud of Gary Bolton, in connection with the GT200 'detector' is due to start on 1 July.

We will keep you updated on progress or any changes.

TRIALS NEWS

Samuel Tree, Joan Tree, and Simon Sherrard face trial on one count contrary to Section 7 of the Fraud Act 2006, involving an ‘Alpha 6’ substance detection device.

Simon Sherrard faces an additional count contrary to Section 6 of the Fraud Act 2006 for possession of an Alpha 6 substance detection device for use in a fraud.

Our latest information suggests that the trial will commence on 28th May.

We will of course update you as and when we can.

LATEST FROM THAILAND

Well, seems despite all the evidence the GT200 and Alpha 6 are still in use in Thailand, although there are some glimmers of hope that ongoing coverage such as the following piece from The Bangkok Post will eventually have the desired effect. Let us hope so!

Brits ask DSI to testify on Comstrac Co

• Published: 13/11/2012 at 12:00 AM
• Newspaper section: News

The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) has been asked by police in the UK to testify against a British company accused of providing Thailand with useless bomb detectors.

The case involves Comstrac Co Ltd, which is accused of fraud in connection with the manufacture, promotion and sale of GT200 and Alpha 6 bomb detecting equipment.
Pol Lt Col Pong-in Intarakhao, director of the Security Crime Bureau, said British police have asked the DSI to testify about the false technology and the damage it has caused to the country. A hearing is tentatively scheduled during March-April next year, he said.
Pol Lt Col Pong-in was speaking after yesterday's meeting with British police responsible for the fraud case against Comstrac.
None of the countries which bought the device have filed a complaint against the company, he said. About 20 countries were reportedly "duped" into buying the devices.
City of London Police's Overseas Anti-Corruption Unit has charged six Britons with fraud in connection with the manufacture, promotion and sale of the device to foreign jurisdictions between Jan 15, 2007 and July 12, 2012.
In January 2010, the UK government banned the export of the GT200 and the Alpha 6 to Iraq and Afghanistan, warning that they were "wholly ineffective" at detecting explosives.
Comstrac set up two companies with three subsidiaries to distribute the detectors in Thailand. A total of 1,576 units were purchased by 14 agencies with the army being the biggest purchaser of the device. Most of the bomb detectors were deployed in the violence-plagued southernmost provinces.
Pol Lt Col Pong-in said the DSI has received documents from British authorities showing that the GT200 and Alpha 6 are ineffective in detecting explosives.
The findings match the result of the tests conducted locally.
"The conclusion is that GT200 and Alpha 6 can't detect explosives and narcotics as claimed by the manufacturer," he said.

There are one or two minor inaccuracies in the report in that the GT200 was sold to Thailand by Global Technical, and the Alpha 6 by Comstrac.

I will post again shortly with another article from the Thai media that has just been brought to my attention.

The sorry tale continues!

UPDATE -18 October 2012

The following appeared at The Old Bailey in London today:

James McCormick - Committed to trial on fraud charges relating to the ADE651. Trial date set for 4 March 2013, with time allowed for trial of 1 Month.

Gary Bolton/GT200
Simon Sherrard, Sam Tree, Joan Tree/ALPHA6
Anthony Williamson/XK9

All committed to trial dates following that of McCormick.

Reporting restrictions imposed until end of July 2013

I will report any further news that is non-prejudicial to the above criminal fraud trials as and when possible. We will of course be hoping for the appropriate outcomes!

With gratitude to our favourite Tom Petty fan and Techowiz! Two very fine men indeed!

NEWSFLASH - 12 SEPTEMBER 2012

Those charged with various counts of fraud (see previous posts below) made another appearance at the City of London Magistrates Court today.

The trial or trials have been allocated to The Old Bailey, with a next bail date thought to be 18 October (To Be Confirmed).

We understand that the next appearance of the defendants will be at the Old Bailey for pleas (note that McCormick/ADE651, Sam and Joan Tree/ALPHA 6, Sherrard/ALPHA6, and Williamson/XK9 have all already plead Not Guilty, but that Bolton/GT200 has yet to plead).

We understand that trial dates will also be set at the next appearance.

As soon as we receive further news we will of course inform you as soon as possible!

With many thanks to our favourite Tom Petty fan!

SEE PREVIOUS NEWS RE CHARGES AT

TECHOWIZ BLOG 1 - McCormick ADE651 charged with fraud
TECHOWIZ BLOG 2 - Bolton GT200 and others charged with fraud

I CAN'T GET NO SATISFACTION

And I've tried and I've tried and I've tried and I've tried

Some people are telling me to be pleased that McCormick, Bolton, Sam Tree andJoan  Tree, Simon Sherrard and Anthony Williamson have been charged with fraud regarding various versions of the swivelling aerial detector fraud, so why am I not entirely satisfied?

Because I am greedy? Well, yes. In a way I am very greedy. I want everyone responsible for this fraud hung up for public gaze, like at Tyburn in the good old days.

Well, of course, even if they all get convicted, few of them will really hang. Maybe General Jabiri in Iraq?  But I want them at very least to hang in the COURT OF PUBLIC OPINION.

In my last piece you will see that I have named many people who should be hung for their involvement. But, I have reason to believe that there are people whose names we do not yet know, who might have been able to do a lot more a lot sooner to end the trade in fraudulent detectors that cost so many lives, limbs and suffering, as well as many corrupt and wasted dollars!

We know that between 1999 and 2004. Gary Bolton of Global Technical, who helped bring the MOLE to the UK (Quadro Tracker having been exposed in America), and then changed it to the GT200, was a member of the Defence Manufacturers Association. The DMA, now ADS, have refused to confirm the dates of the membership of ADS or DMA by Global Technical. Odd? Why?

We know that Gary Bolton was taken by the DMA to Parliament in 1999 to plead the case for export support for his new explosives detector product. We know that the DMA (now ADS) deny that they ever really knew what Bolton was selling, despite apparent miraculous claims for a radio aerial on a sort of pistol grip, and we believe Bolton demoing this at DMA events.

We know that The Royal Engineers assisted Gary Bolton in the promotion of the MOLE and subsequently the GT200 via carrying out demos at foreign events and possibly on UK soil, in uniform.

We know that Gary Bolton continued to use UK MOD and other official logos on his website, long after we had warned the UK Government in late 2008 via the defence Select Committee.

We know that all apparent active UK Government support for Gary Bolton and the GT200 ended in approximately 2004, or at least the records released by the MOD/Foreign Office/ DESO/Royal Engineers so far suggest this.

This raises the suspicion that someone or some people in the UK Defence/Government circles suddenly realised that the MOLE/GT200 was a crock of shite back in 2004 ish or possibly a bit later?

We know that the majority of sales of the GT200 took place after 2004. No doubt corrupt buyers in overseas markets e.g. Mexico and Thailand might claim that apparent UK Government and Military support for Bolton and Global Technical was instrumental in persuading them to buy. Obviously large bribes would not have helped to dissuade them! Ho Ho Ho!!

Anyway, what if one or more UK Government/MOD etc people did realise at some stage that the GT 200 was doo doo, before we warned the Defence Select Committee in late 2008 why didn't they say something?

Had they done so then maybe much grief may have been avoided!

But then this theory of mine may just be a load of old cobblers? What do you think?

What's worse. If you did not know already, McCormick who was charged over the ADE651 variant of the fraud used to work with Bolton on the MOLE/GT200.

They fell out and went off with the two major selling strands of the fraud. So, if Bolton had been stopped earlier, maybe, just maybe. McCormick might have as well.

Funny that Major General Alan Sharman (retd) and Brinley Salzmann (DMA now ADS Executive) who both were with Bolton at that 1999 Parliamentary hearing tried to lie about what was in fact on public record in Hansard? Odd?

You decide! But if there is anything to this theory of mine, you can be sure we will nail it down one way or the other!

All best!

MORE GOOD NEWS

Gary Bolton GT200 - charged with fraud

ALSO

Sam Tree and Joan Tree involved with Quadro Tracker and introduced MOLE to Gary Bolton. which became GT200 and also ADE651 when McCormick and Bolton split.

Simon Sherrard ALPHA6 sold to Mexico and Thailand plus others we believe

Anthony Williamson XK9 Further info to follow

BBC REPORT HERE

GREAT NEWS! - TOAST AND DOMINOES

 Some of you who know me will be grateful that I will keep this post very short indeed. Probably a lot more to come though!!

Why toast and dominoes? 

First a toast to Techowiz, without whom this probably would never have happened!

Then a toast to others e.g. James Randi, Meirion Jones, Caroline Hawley, Lumpy Low, Andres Tonini, Bob Couttie etc etc who we have mentioned before.

But, we hope that Mr McCormick and his dirty blood money millions are also now toast.

We hope there is a domino effect and many others who have been involved in this disgusting fraud down the years will get their JUSTICE DESSERTS (apologies to Bruce Hood!)

GO TO TECHOS BLOG HERE NOW!!!