Electromagnetic pulse [EMP] devices could be used by terrorists to fry life support machines Horrific new weapons which can destroy hospital life support machines or bring down airliners can easily be made by terrorists, a former government spy warned.

Ex-secret service operative consultant Cosmo Clark said the Electro-Magnetic Pulse [EMP] devices can be made from common items, including camera flashes, for as little as $5.

They unleash a huge wave of invisible energy, destroying anything electronic in their immediate vicinity, and are totally undetectable to security scanners.

Cosmo fears the weapons could be used to mount outrages on hospitals – killing any patients on life support machines or undergoing surgery.




They could easily be sneaked onto an airliner and used by a suicidal terrorist to make it crash, or spark widespread anarchy if used to destroy vital banking systems.

Cosmo, who is now an author and hides his real identity behind a pen name told Metro.co.uk: ‘An EMP uses electricity to generate a massive, very fast magnetic field, which shoots out and completely destroys the circuitry of anything electronic in its path.

Hospital patients could be targets by terrorists using low-tech devices to destroy life-support machines

An EMP device could also be let off on a plane by a suicide attacker (Picture: Getty Images) ‘What you’re doing is getting electricity and ramping it up to create as many volts as you can from it, before setting them off in one go, in a tiny fraction of time.

‘If used near a hospital they could destroy life support machines keeping sick patients alive, or kill anyone undergoing surgery.

‘A suicide attacker could use one on a plane to fry its wiring and make it crash – or even get in a lift with a top politician and send it plummeting to the ground.’

‘There are instructions on how to build these devices online.

‘There’s no preparation or expense, and there’s a lot more opportunity to go after smaller targets, like high value individuals.

‘You could potentially use an EMP to destroy the economy by taking down the banking system and stock exchange.

‘Most of the money in our world is virtual and doesn’t actually exist.’

Expert Cosmo Clark warned EMP devices are currently untracable, meaning they will evade airport scanners

Cosmo said the government is now taking the threat posed by EMP devices seriously, and ‘rapidly expanding’ research and monitoring.

He said simple ‘Faraday Cages’ can be used to shield electronics from EMP attacks – but also warned it would cost billions to protect all electronics in this way.

Cosmo’s novel Blue Eyed Infidel is available on Amazon now