Weapons: Iraq Mystery Weapon Identified

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March 4, 2007: The mystery weapon picture that's been showing up around the net, appears to be something that began in Chechnya (where the local Islamic terrorists built improvised weapons firing 55mm rockets), and evolved into a new design for firing RPG rockets. The U.S. Army has come to call the mystery weapon the C5K, and it sports a scope. The C5K is a misnomer, and refers to another improvised weapon (a launcher for an unguided aircraft rocket, the S-5K, a 8.8 pound, 55mm projectile). These mystery weapons are made in small quantities, in workshops set up for that purpose. Things like this are intended to provide an easier-to-handle launcher for RPG rockets. The Chechens began the current round of warfare with the Russians in the 1990s, and many of their innovations spread to other Islamic terrorist groups. The Sunni Arabs of Iraq are a well educated lot, and know for resourcefulness and improvisation. Saddams secret police were known to have links with the Chechens, and apparently exchanged ideas. The improvised weapons are often more impressive in terms of appearance than in performance. But that is a common failing of Islamic terrorists.