Andy P.
13 August 2001: Andy P.:
Nice device, but it does not fire the projectiles through the antenna though. It has four separate barrels located under the display as shown in the video. I have attached a drawing in .jpg format.
Andy P.
13 August 2001: Add comments. Add more comments.
The message below apparently is derived from an ABC News report of December 6, 2000 (thanks to Matthew Gaylor):
http://abcnews.go.com/sections/world/DailyNews/phone001205.html
U.S. Customs Service
12 August 2001. Thanks to Anonymous.
Comments on the authenticity of this device welcome; send to jya@pipeline.com
9 August
MILINET: Cell Phone Gun Alert/Video
Contributed By: Maj. Steve Daskal, USAFF
After reading below, download video demonstrating the cell phone gun.
NDU SECURITY AWARENESS - TRAVELLERS NOTICE
Below forwarded for your information and awareness when travelling abroad.
Check out this video clip.
http://cryptome.org/CellPhoneVideo.mpg (23 seconds; 541KB)
The video clip confirms this is a real threat. The point about overseas law enforcement officials' sensitivity to cell phones should be a warning to you and make the point that such officials, especially customs officials, don't play jokes. So obey their instructions courteously and promptly.
Here is something you should be aware of in your travels. These new covert guns were first discovered in October when Dutch police stumbled on a cache during a drug raid in Amsterdam. In another recent incident, a Croatian gun dealer was caught attempting to smuggle a shipment through Slovenia into Western Europe. Police say both shipments are believed to have originated in Yugoslavia. Interpol sent out a warning to law enforcement agencies around the world. European border police and customs officers are at a heightened state of alert at all ports, airports and border crossings.
Beneath the digital face lies a .22-caliber pistol, a phone gun capable of firing four rounds in quick succession with a touch of the otherwise standard keypad. European law enforcement officials, stunned by the discovery of these deadly decoys, say phone guns are changing the rules of engagement in Europe. It means police will have to draw their weapons whenever a person being checked reaches for their mobile phone. Although cell phone guns have not hit America yet, the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and the U.S. Customs Service say they've been briefed on the new weapons.
Realistic Appearance. "If you didn't know they were guns, you wouldn't suspect anything," said Ari Zandbergen, spokesman for the Amsterdam police. "Only when you have one in your hand do you realize that they are heavier," says Birgit Heib of the German Federal Criminal Investigation Agency.
"The guns are loaded by twisting the phone in half. The .22-caliber rounds fit into the top of the phone under the screen. The lower half, under the keyboard, holds the firing pins. The bullets fire through the antenna by pressing numbers on the keypad. Amsterdam police says they are very sophisticated machines constructed inside gutted cell phones which do not light up or operate as real phones. These are very difficult to make. We believe experts are involved. "
The video clip shows the cell phone actually firing. Again, these phones have not hit the US, but they are in use in overseas. Keep that in mind if you are going through customs and are asked to turn over your cell phone to be checked. Never joke with Customs Officials.
V161NADL Cell Phone Video.mpg w/sound
Date: Mon, 13 Aug 2001 00:39:58 -0400
From: Matthew Gaylor
Subject: Re: Cell Phone Gun
Forwarded message:
Date: Thu, 7 Dec 2000 14:20:47 -0500
To: Interesting People
From: Matthew Gaylor
Subject: IP: Re:
ABCNEWS.com
Cell Phone Guns Discovered
Nothing really new here-I've seen pagers either firing a single .25 ACP round or acting as a concealed holster for a small auto for several years. Plus North American Arms has been making their mini-revolver in .22lr as the center piece on a decorative belt buckle for maybe 15 years. Several different walking cane guns are available as are umbrellas that either have a gun or sword blade concealed. I've seen one specimen that was disguised as a woman's lipstick that was really a single shot .22 (Talk about looks that Kill).
Working guns have been made concealed into the bottom of a shoe as early as the America Civil War. There are even gun collectors who specialize in such guns.
For archives see: http://www.interesting-people.org/
Date: 13 Aug 2001 03:51:32 -0000
From: "Dr. Evil"
Subject: Re: Cell Phone Gun
Pistols can be made small enough to fit into anything. I knew they had pager-pistols, so I am not surprised at all about cellphone pistols. I am sure this is real. Also, if you just need it for one shot, you could make the entire thing non-metalic: a smooth ceramic bore wrapped in carbon fiber, with a ceramic bullet and electronic ignition, and there's no metal except maybe a tiny bit for the ignition. This is something a hobbiest could build in his garage. I'm not sure what the answer to this is. People will be very upset if airline security starts taking apart their computers and phones. The current test is they want people to turn them on and show that they work, but there's no reason you couldn't embed a working gun inside a working PDA for instance.
Date: Mon, 13 Aug 2001 03:55:59 -0500
From: drs
Subject: Re: Cell Phone Gun
I have a couple of comments regarding the "cell phone guns".
(1) From the mpeg given, there is no way to determine the authenticity of the so-called demonstration. For example, how does each of the shells reach the firing chamber? Given that the bullets "emerge" through the antenna, the shells must exchange places with the one that has just fired. The video clip did not show the lower portion of the cell phone in any detail that would make any determination possible regarding whether the claim was factual. Seems like the "keypad" trigger would get in the way.
(2) I'm not sure why it would matter. Even if this particular clip is a hoax, I'd have to say that the claims of "very difficult to make" should be qualified with "for anyone unfamiliar with the inside of a machine shop".
(3) Why should these be much heavier than a cell phone if the statement about "experts" being involved, is true? After all, plastic guns exist. I think the type of "experts" to which the Amsterdam police probably allude, are "expert" enough to go all out and use plastic.
I could be wrong about the authenticity of this particular claim, but about the only that would surprise me about such a weapon really existing, would be not finding an "assembled in the USA" stamped on it somewhere. [for a number of reasons - none of which I'd call a plus]
From: Michael F. Graham
Subject: Cell Phone Gun
Date: Mon, 13 Aug 2001 08:34:22 -0700
This device is real. I would prefer not to reveal how I know, but it does exist. A more interesting device is a mini-Maglite flashlight that is fully function, yet modified to fire a .22 caliber cartridge. I actually have the machinist's plans and photographs of this device if you are interested. It was developed by a gentlemen who went by the "nomme de guerre" of Sardaukar.
An excellent reference book on disguised weapons (pens, lighters, etc.)is:
Zips, Pipes, and Pens : Arsenal of Improvised Arms, by J. David Truby
Contained within this book is a two-barrelled weapon whose action is the basis for the cell-phone gun.
Date: Mon, 13 Aug 2001 10:46:19 -0500
From: Richard Thomas
Subject: Mobile phone gun.
Hi, this was in the newspaper last year in the UK. I have a few comments...
Firstly, the phone doesn't look like any I've seen. It looks more like a cheap child's toy. So the claim about it being made from hollowed-out mobile phones is likely false, it is either specifically made for the job or made from children's toys. I am sure I have also seen the "Nokitel" fake screen used on some children's toy models as well. This seems quite likely given the additional fact that even second hand mobile phones have a highish resale valuw
Secondly, the article claims that the bullets exit from the aerial. Given that the bullets in the picture and the video point straight forward and do not appear to have changed position after being fired, it seems likely that they exit out in a forward direction from the top of the phone. The length of the top of the phone is about 1.5 inches which would be long enough for a short barrel. Unfortunately, it is not clear from the video where the puffs of smoke are coming from.
So from the design, it appears to be a block of metal with four holes drilled placed into a plastic toy phone with four spring loaded firing pins. I do not know but would guess that the barrels are not rifled. If so, anyone with a drill press could make one of these.