UK NEWS

PILOTS ADMIT THEY HAVE US IN THEIR SIGHTS

IN FIRING LINE: The MoD admits pilots use Scots homes as targets during practice

Monday June 23,2008

By David Scott

FIGHTER pilots use civilian cars and homes as practice targets while on low-level training missions across rural Scotland, the Ministry of Defence has admitted.

The pilots routinely buzz cars, rowing boats and farmers working in fields to prepare crews for attacking real targets in Iran or Afghanistan.

Rural communities have been outraged by the low flying. Two vast areas – one in the north of the country and one in the south – have been designated Tactical Training Areas where jets can fly as low as 100ft.

In the past five years, nearly 56,000 hours of low-flying have taken place, mainly in the north, the Borders and Dumfries and Galloway.

Now the SNP has demanded the MoD review its policy. Rob Gibson, Nationalist MSP for the Highlands and Islands, said: “Targeting people in their homes and cars is unacceptable. The MoD is a blight on our economic lives and on our everyday lives.”

He was speaking after he received a reply from Derek Twigg MP, Under-Secretary of State for Defence, in response to a constituent’s complaint.

Mr Twigg wrote: “Air-crew are required as part of their training to select practice targets.

“This may include vehicles (in simulation of military vehicles) as well as buildings.”

An MoD spokesman said: “Low flying is rigorously controlled and monitored. Since 1988 the total number of sorties has been reduced by a third, and those by jets by more than half.”