Italian TV: Israel used new weapon prototype in Gaza Strip

haaretz ^ | October 12, 2006 | Meron Rapoport

[tlb]

An investigative report to be aired on Italian television today raises the possibility that Israel has used an experimental weapon in the Gaza Strip in recent months, causing especially serious physical injuries, such as amputated limbs and severe burns. The weapon is similar to one developed by the U.S. military called DIME, which causes a powerful and lethal blast, but only within a relatively small radius.

The investigation, by Rai24news, follows reports by Gaza-based doctors of inexplicably serious injuries. The doctors reported an exceptionally large number of wounded who lost legs, of completely burned bodies and injuries unaccompanied by metal shrapnel. Some of the doctors also claimed that they removed particles from wounds that could not be seen in an x-ray machine.

The Italian investigative team raised the possibility that the IDF is making use of a weapon similar in character to DIME - Dense Inert Metal Explosive - developed for the U.S. military. According to the official website of a U.S. air force laboratory, it is a "focused lethality" weapon, which aims to accurately destroy the target while causing minimum damage to the surrounding.

The report says that the weapon is not banned by international law, especially since it has not been officially tested.

It is believed that the weapon is highly carcinogenic and harmful to the environment.

[pabianice]

Probably the Active Defense System (ADS).

[detsaoT]

I think I've found a top-secret diagram of the weapon in question:

;)

[RichInOC]

...they're shooting Happy Fun Balls, aren't they?

[ichabod1]

I don't suppose rat poison and hardware is very good for it either.

[airborne]

...causes a powerful and lethal blast, but only within a relatively small radius.

Sort of like what a bullet does.