Just When You Thought It Was Safe to Go In the Water Again

The Observer reports:

Armed and dangerous - Flipper the firing dolphin let loose by Katrina

It may be the oddest tale to emerge from the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Armed dolphins, trained by the US military to shoot terrorists and pinpoint spies underwater, may be missing in the Gulf of Mexico.

Experts who have studied the US navy's cetacean training exercises claim the 36 mammals could be carrying 'toxic dart' guns. Divers and surfers risk attack, they claim, from a species considered to be among the planet's smartest. The US navy admits it has been training dolphins for military purposes, but has refused to confirm that any are missing.

Dolphins have been trained in attack-and-kill missions since the Cold War. The US Atlantic bottlenose dolphins have apparently been taught to shoot terrorists attacking military vessels. Their coastal compound was breached during the storm, sweeping them out to sea. But those who have studied the controversial use of dolphins in the US defence programme claim it is vital they are caught quickly.

Note the Observer's usual disregard for accuracy. They say that these lethal critters "may be missing" and note that the US Navy does not confirm that any are missing, but that doesn't stop these newshounds. They then go on to write a story assuming that lethally-armed bottlenosed dolphins are swimming around the gulf training their sights on surfers and divers. Don't let facts get in the way of a good story, especially one that slams the US military.

Their source? A 72 year-old "respected accident investigator." OK!

Read it here.