Q From Bond gadget inventors sought to help fight terrorism

If you live in a country where democracy is the system of rule and freedom is valued then the chances are there is a group of people out there who would seek to end your way of life. Terrorists are increasingly turning to technology and electronic gadgetry to gain the upper hand in their fight. And the British government is looking to fight fire with fire.

Terrorists have existed throughout history. It’s just the form they take, the religion they follow, the cause they fight for, and the methods they use which change. The ways in which we fight back has obviously also changed through the years, with a constant fight to stay one step ahead.

According to BBC News, the latest initiative in this fight comes from the British government, which is asking for budding amateur inventors to come forward with their ideas for gadgets to aid in the fight against terrorism. That’s correct, the government of the U.K. is currently seeking people who resemble Q from the James Bond films.

The British Home Office is currently engaged in a three-year-long Science and Technology Counter-Terrorism Strategy codenamed CONTEST. The call to arms for amateur inventors is as a result of an initiative known as Innovative Science and Technology in Counter-Terrorism (INSTINCT).

Security Minister Lord West said of the scheme:

The UK currently faces a real and serious threat from terrorism and we need to utilize our position as a world leader in science and technology to counter this. We need to match products and ideas to problems, which is why we are actively inviting people to join us and share expertise.

The UK is a leading innovator in the design and provision of defence and security solutions. British technology can have greater practical applications across the world and is just one more tool in our fight against those who would wish to do us harm.

The document discussing the initiative predicts that terrorist groups such as al-Qaeda will increasingly use modern technology to harm sovereign nations, “not just to plan and carry attacks, but also to spread propaganda and bring in new recruits.” The government is reaching out to scientists and technology experts by publishing a brochure which it hopes will help get talented people all working towards the same goals.

Anything that gives ordinary citizens the edge over the groups of people trying to disrupt and destroy their lives is a good thing. However, I do worry that this is just another form of scaremongering intended to spread fear. I trust the governments of the world about as much as trust the terrorists they are fighting.

source:Blorge