13 replies to this topic

[bwdoz]

Does anyone know what this is all about?

Bruce

[pyrotrev]

Dunno, but strange that they should arrest him under the firearms act if he was storing fireworks!

[knackers]

I wouldn’t be supprised if by arresting him under the firearms act is a deliberate ploy to frighten the average citizen, therefore allowing the law makers ‘ammunition ‘ to do what they probably have always wanted to do,.. Take fireworks away from the hobbiest and ban fireworks from the general public completely,
They did it here and said it was for our own good !

[Mortartube]

Probably some ignorant journalist thought that fireworks were covered by Firearms legislation and just put it in there.

[bwdoz]

Probably some ignorant journalist thought that fireworks were covered by Firearms legislation and just put it in there.

That was my first thought, until they started talking about evacuations and b**b disposal!

Bruce

[David]

We clearly don't know the full story. Storing fireworks at home is of course not in itself illegal for private use. If they were Cat 2 or 3 then he has by law a few days to store them even if they are over 5KG NEC.

If the police "raided" someones home who had 40KG NEC of Cat 3 (1.4G) then he could say, quite legally, that they bought earlier in the week for a display he was doing at the weekend.

I think if they are 1.3G they need to be stored at the place they are being used.

Edited by David, 02 April 2009 - 03:30 PM.

[Arthur Brown]

1/ Never trust a journo with any facts which could be made into a story!
2/ What in this case is "a large quantity"

Could be two sparklers, could be a container load of cat4 or unclassified Chinese imports.

Far too little accurate detail, very sexed up story. WMD in Iraq anyone?!?

[David]

1/ Never trust a journo with any facts which could be made into a story!

Indeed.

I've noticed before how inaccurate BBC news online can be. I'm a fan of boxing, and the ammount of basic errors they make in their boxing reporting are shocking.

I only notice them as I'm somewhat of an "Annorack" but many people reading these articles wouldn't.

Edited by David, 02 April 2009 - 06:08 PM.

[GZ22]

It's explained a little better here:

http://www.birmingha...65233-23281418/

...and on a different note, I stumbled across this whilst searching for more on the above story:

"
Terror police raid home for fireworks display
Daily Mail | Apr 14, 2007

A man who bought items on eBay to make fairylights and fireworks for a family celebration had his home raided by police because they thought he was making a bomb.

Neil Harris used the online auction site to buy a rucksack, electronic relay board and saltpetre, which has explosive properties.

But three months later, the NHS worker, who lost a leg in a motorbike crash 30 years ago, was told by a friend that police had smashed down the front door of his flat because they thought he was a terrorist.

When Mr Harris, 49, went to the police station to try to resolve the matter, he was held for three hours and grilled as a terror suspect.

West Midlands Police had obtained a search warrant to seize “articles that could be used in the commission of terrorist offences”.

Mr Harris, from Halesowen in Birmingham, said: “It was all a bit shambolic as police broke into the wrong flat. I still own that apartment in Sutton Coldfield but have put it up for sale.

“A bit of old-fashioned policing would have sorted this out. Had they made a few local enquiries, they would have realised I don’t exactly fit the profile.

“The only thing I’ve got in common with a terrorist is not having a criminal record - and maybe having scientific hobbies".

Edited by GZ22, 02 April 2009 - 08:56 PM.

[David]

The Post article just says "large haul of fireworks." It doesn't specify what type (Cat) they were etc. Could be he was doing nothing wrong.

..

Regarding the other article, we are living in an age where adverts "This is the sound of a b-mb not going off" quite openly encourage people to report their neighbours if they suspect them of being "terrorists".

[teaboy]

Am I right in thinking that 'making the scene safe' in this instance would involve making sure the flat isn't on fire?

[pyrotrev]

Am I right in thinking that 'making the scene safe' in this instance would involve making sure the flat isn't on fire?

More likely making sure the police had gone home and any grassing neighbours were safely tucked up watching X-Factor

[teaboy]

A man who bought items on eBay to make fairylights and fireworks for a family celebration had his home raided by police because they thought he was making a bomb.

Neil Harris used the online auction site to buy a rucksack, electronic relay board and saltpetre, which has explosive properties.

On a somewhat more serious note, I think this should be a warning to us all - be careful what you buy, when, and from whom.

We may know what we're up to, but Rucksack + Saltpetre + Detonation Material = Bomber in many people's eyes.

[skyrocket]

date was the first of april they reported this dont know if that had anything to do with it or was a coincidence