Tear gas canisters unlikely cause of maiming

Usually the gas canister is thrown at the floor near the target, similar to a smoke bomb, or fired by a 38mm launcher, which looks like a 40-mm grenade launcher of the M-79 model.

A bottle of CN gas does not explode immediately when hitting the floor but has a 10-second delay before the gas comes out. It can cause a burning sensation and irritation to the skin, eyes and respiratory system.

According to international safety standards, tear gas should not be directly fired or thrown at people because it would cause more harm than necessary. Tear gas is acidic and its firing also releases pressure that can cause a wound or a broken bone.

Such burn wounds or mutilated legs as reported in the Parliament street rioting yesterday was unlikely caused by tear-gas bullets because even the bullet head could not cause such wound, a weapons expert said. Such injuries were more likely caused by other weapons.

It was suspected that a white phosphorus bomb, which carries the same symbol of a small white bomb as a tear-gas bottle, was brought for use mistakenly or intentionally.

This bomb causes extreme heat and is usually used to destroy a target such a metal structure. If the bomb hits a person it can cause severe burn wounds down to the muscle layer.

The bomb's use on people even in time of war violates the Geneva Convention.