The Goal: Maximum Pain
Alan (taken from Duncan Graham-Rowe) - 06.06.2005 10:50
The information presented here was taken mostly from New Scientist magazine. I find this material of particular importance because it is a development which many activists, including those who view this website, will have to deal with. I do not have permission from the author to distribute this article, but all verbatim transcriptions are in quotations.
The US navy is conducting research into a new non-lethal weapon, which is said to deliver "a bout of excruciating pain from up to 2 kilometers away". The weapon fires a series of PEP's (pulsed energy projectiles) which are lasers that release exploding plasma when they come in contact with a person.
The weapon is intended for use in 2007, mainly for riot control. However, it is probable that the US will expand the use of these to torturing and interrogating suspects in Guantanamo Bay and elsewhere.
The most unique, and perhaps most frightening aspect of this technology is that it is intended to leave the victim unharmed. No research has been done on the psychological affects of this type of pain, but no physical damage has been seen in tests on animals. The researchers are trying to determine a limit to the plasma pulse on cultured cells, or in other words, find the most amount of pain you can endure without dying. Naturally, the two researchers that were contaced: Martin Richardson and Brian Cooper, did not have any comments, and were careful in distancing themselves from the work.
But what are the implications of this type of weapon? Surely a riot control officer will not hesitate to use a weapon if it will not leave any scars, or even cause any physical damage. We cannot see what the future of riot control will bring, but with these types of studies, it is apparent that it will become increasingly ruthless.
Source: Graham-Rowe, Duncan. "Maximum pain is aim of navy study." New Scientist 5 March 2005: 8.
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