New weapon can fire round corners

The Corner Shot device can be used with any handgun and enables the user to shoot with maximum accuracy while keeping out of the line of fire.

Using a camera on the gun barrel, a soldier can swivel the device to point at a target without breaking cover.

The US-Israeli firm that developed the weapon says it will only be sold to official government agencies.

A spokesman for the Florida-based Corner Shot Holdings said the device, which was developed and manufactured in Israel, had already been sold to 15 countries.

Amos Golan, a veteran of Israeli anti-terror units who invented the Corner Shot, said customers included the US, Russia and several European armies.

Urban warfare

The weapons system, which costs between $3,000 and $5,000, was officially unveiled at a firing range near Tel Aviv.

" I believe that it can be a big success in Iraq because the Americans are dealing with an urban area there "
Amos Golan,
inventor

The camera attached to the gun barrel can focus on targets up to 400 metres away and can be used with any military pistol.

It can also be adapted to fit an M-16 rifle or a tear gas launcher.

Mr Golan said he came up with the idea after an Israeli army operation during the first Palestinian uprising in the late 1980s, when several Israeli officers stormed a house through the front door and were injured by gunfire from inside.

He said it was ideal for urban warfare conditions where troops needed to aim at targets without hurting civilians.

"I believe from what I have seen and heard that it can be a big success in Iraq because the Americans are dealing with an urban area there," he said.