for being equipped with spy stuff.....

http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30200-1274983,00.html

Quote :

"Police in Iran are reported to have taken 14 squirrels into custody - because they are suspected of spying. Britain's latest secret weapon?The rodents were found near the Iranian border allegedly equipped with eavesdropping devices. The reports have come from the official Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA). When asked about the confiscation of the spy squirrels, the national police chief said: "I have heard about it, but I do not have precise information." The IRNA said that the squirrels were kitted out by foreign intelligence services - but they were captured two weeks ago by police officers. Advertisement A Foreign Office source told Sky News: "The story is nuts." But if true, this would not be the first time animals have been used to spy. During World War II the Allied Forces used pigeons to fly vital intelligence out of occupied France. More recently, US marines stationed in Kuwait have used chickens as a low-tech chemical detection system. And it is well documented that dolphins have been used to seek out underwater mines. It is even claimed that M15 once planned to recruit a team of specially-trained gerbils as a secret weapon to sniff out spies. "

[Edited on July 13, 2007 at 4:17 PM. Reason : .]

7/13/2007 4:17:14 PM

and it reminded me of: message_topic.aspx?topic=482576

[Edited on July 13, 2007 at 4:20 PM. Reason : link]

7/13/2007 4:19:26 PM

one of the biz dev guys at work used to be a navy seal who trained dolphins to carry recon devices and guns. those stories tripped me out. as far as i can tell he wasn't pulling my leg.

7/13/2007 4:24:25 PM

this is exactly why I thought ^^ would be a dumb idea.....It wouldn't be that hard to catch/kill these animals.

7/13/2007 4:26:53 PM

^^ the Navy's dolphin program has been going on at least since the late 40s and is probably further along than most people realize.

[Edited on July 13, 2007 at 4:27 PM. Reason : .]

7/13/2007 4:27:06 PM

Quote :

"navy seal who trained dolphins"

You should have known he was bullshitting you right there. He needs to pick one or the other.

7/13/2007 4:29:29 PM

i dont know if the dolphins were trained to "carry guns" as much as they were trained to find underwater mines before they blew up our ships

7/13/2007 4:33:18 PM

^^ Not necessarialy. I'm not saying he wasn't, but once you get in a SOF unit, you not going to spend all your time as a trigger puller. I don't know how the Navy works, but SF and ODD guys in the Army rotate jobs on a regular basis.

Anyway, here is the Navy's link to their Marine Mammal program. I'm sure if they're admitting to this there is more they're not releasing. Where is chembob on this?
http://www.spawar.navy.mil/sandiego/technology/mammals/

[Edited on July 13, 2007 at 4:51 PM. Reason : V that is just sloppy reporting]

7/13/2007 4:44:43 PM

Quote :

"But if true, this would not be the first time animals have been used to spy. During World War II the Allied Forces used pigeons to fly vital intelligence out of occupied France. More recently, US marines stationed in Kuwait have used chickens as a low-tech chemical detection system. And it is well documented that dolphins have been used to seek out underwater mines. "

Is anyone besides me confused as to how these are examples of animals being used to spy?

7/13/2007 4:48:45 PM

Not too long ago I read about DARPA working to embed microchips into moths so that they could spy on enemies and relay video and information to the US.

7/13/2007 5:21:18 PM

^^i think you're just equating "spying" with surveillance when in a broader sense its a way to stealthily acquire information, even if the information is just the detection of chemicals or mines

^yeah there is a thread about that somewhere on TWW

[Edited on July 13, 2007 at 5:45 PM. Reason : .]

7/13/2007 5:45:26 PM

Quote :

"A Foreign Office source told Sky News: "The story is nuts.""

I wonder how long it took him to think that one up.

7/13/2007 7:37:15 PM

Quote :

"Is anyone besides me confused as to how these are examples of animals being used to spy?"

As I read that I thought "Yes, and soldiers rode horses into battle in medieval times."

7/13/2007 11:18:19 PM

Perhaps they were R.O.U.S's.

7/13/2007 11:28:23 PM

Quote :

"Yes, and soldiers rode horses into battle in medieval times."

Hell the Polish had cavalry units in WWII fighting mechanized German Panzer Units. Brave soldiers those Polish were, brilliant tacticians they were not

7/14/2007 12:36:57 AM

Quote :

"Not too long ago I read about DARPA working to embed microchips into moths so that they could spy on enemies and relay video and information to the US."

Quote :

"^yeah there is a thread about that somewhere on TWW"

I linked to it in the first reply.

7/14/2007 9:02:15 AM

Quote :

"one of the biz dev guys at work used to be a navy seal who trained dolphins to carry recon devices and guns. those stories tripped me out. as far as i can tell he wasn't pulling my leg. "

i talked to a Navy diver once who had been training the dolphins...i think he'd been their "target"...they would ram him and knock the shit out of him.

7/14/2007 1:04:09 PM

SEND IN THE MOTHS!

7/17/2007 11:14:26 AM

They are also working on controlling birds via an implant.

7/17/2007 11:47:42 AM

Quote :

"You should have known he was bullshitting you right there. He needs to pick one or the other."

i double checked. he was a seal, and he trained dolphins.

7/17/2007 12:06:39 PM

^ Hahaha... Oh my... Hahahahhahaha... I just yeah... I think you know what's up. I just. He didn't seriously post "You should have known he was bullshitting you right there. He needs to pick one or the other." in response to "navy seal who trained dolphins" I hope. I hope that was sarcasm...

7/17/2007 9:13:22 PM

Quote :

"Can Squirrels Spy for People? Iran Thinks So"

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=12131243&ft=1&f=1004

lol the title of that makes me lol

7/20/2007 8:56:05 PM

^Best quote from that piece:

"That's a large squirrel...I know probably too much"

Haha, why would somebody study squirrels for 26 years?

7/21/2007 12:06:48 AM

JCASHFAN's picture rules

7/21/2007 11:40:19 AM