Grasping the nettle: Ending Europe’s Trade in Execution and Torture Technology 47 Amnesty International and Omega Recommendation: As certain acoustic devices appear to be promoted in part to enforce compliance in an individual or group through the application of a painful stimulus, such devices could be misused for ill-treatment, some potentially on a large scale. Consequently, controlling the trade in such devices would come within the object and purpose of EC Regulation 125/2006 and such goods should therefore be added to Annex III. Millimetre wave weapons Millimetre wave weapons are a class of directed energy weapons designed to heat the skin and thereby enforce compliance through pain in the target. The best known of these devices is the Active Denial System (ADS) developed in the U.S. by a team of researchers from the air force and private contractors over the last 20 years.224 Although Raytheon, the current manufacturers of ADS, claims it is safe,225 potentially serious medical effects have been reported. The system is designed to produce nothing more than pain, or possibly short term redness of the skin or blistering.226 However, the difference between a painful exposure and a potentially damaging exposure has been contested. And a longer exposure, especially one at higher power could potentially lead to second or third degree burns. If such burns were to occur over 20% or more of the body area they could potentially become life threatening and require specialist burns treatment.227 At least one serious exposure was reported during official testing.228 Original versions of the ADS were large vehicle-mounted weapons either on a Humvee or flat-bed truck and promoted for use in the open air. Raytheon has subsequently developed a range of smaller devices with potential applicability for indoor as well as outdoor employment. In 2010, it was reported that a smaller version of the ADS, manufactured by Raytheon and referred to as a “7½ foot tall Assault Intervention Device,” was due to be installed in a dormitory at Pitchess Detention Center in Los Angeles County as part of a trial by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ).229 In February 2011, it was announced that the NIJ would review the trial further before Left: Silent Guardian, and Right the Silent Guardian SG-R50 taken from Raytheon publications 224 Research on millimetre wave devices began in the early 1990s. Raytheon is the prime contractor for system integration for the Active Denial System. 225 According to Raytheon, “Substantial government testing has been conducted to characterize the effects of millimeter waves on the human body. These tests have confirmed the technology’s safety and have established there is a significant margin between safe and harmful exposure levels.” See: Silent Guardian™ Protection System Less-than-Lethal Directed Energy Protection, Raytheon marketing material, http://www.atmarine.fi/ckfinder/userfiles/files/Silent%20Guardian%20Protection%20System%281%29.pdf (accessed 14 May 2015). 226 JNLWP (Joint Non-Lethal Weapons Program) Active Denial System Frequently Asked Questions, http://jnlwp.defense.gov/About/FrequentlyAskedQuestions/ActiveDenialSystemFAQs.aspx accessed 13 November 2013. 227 Altman, J (2008) Millimetre Waves, Lasers, Acoustics for Non Lethal Weapons? Physics Analyses and Inferences, http://www. bundesstiftung-friedensforschung.de/pdf-docs/berichtaltmann2.pdf accessed 16 March 2012. 228 Osborn, K (2007) Airman Injured in Heat Beam Test, Army Times, 5 April 2007 http://www.armytimes.com/news/2007/04/defense_ burnedairman_070405/ accessed 16 March 2012. 229 Lin, CJ (2010) Authorities at Castaic Jail Poised to Use Assault Intervention Device, The Daily News, 20 August 2010 http://www. dailynews.com/ci_15845458 accessed 16 March 2012; Zapping Inmates To Control Them: Harmless Or Torture? National Public Radio, 10th September 2010.available at: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129630188 (accessed 15 April 2015). Index: EUR 01/1632/2015 Amnesty International May 2015