For the past few years, "light weapons" have been quietly flowing into "non-governmental hands" in Europe. Less quietly, they have been proliferating in Africa, the Middle East and the Balkans. Concern at interior ministry levels has spread to foreign and defence ministries.
The weapons found at Stamullen, Co Meath, may represent a drop compared to the flood of weapons turning up in the west and in Africa.
The rocket-propelled grenade RPG18 appeared around 1989/ 90 in the Russian army. The RPG7, the old Warsaw Pact anti-tank grenade, had many successes in the Middle East but was out-dated. It could not penetrate the new explosive "Chobham" armour hung around modern tanks.
This armour explodes when a grenade hits it, preventing impact with the main hull. The back blast from the RPG7 betrays the firer's position.
The RPG18 is said to have reduced both of these disadvantages. Any RPG, old or new, can be devastating against trucks or other "soft-skinned" vehicles, and that would be the main concern here.
RPGs have been used against buildings - and bank vaults - occasionally. The contents are usually destroyed.
There has been much research and development on new explosives. "Shaping" the explosives to concentrate penetrating power or spread lasting effects etc, has been achieved.
It will be interesting to see what type has been found and if it carries identification markers. The power packs will also be interesting. Early speculation is unwise. Several modern weapons have electrical supplies.
What are light weapons? For this purpose they are pistols, rifles, sub-machine guns, handgrenades, machine guns up to 0.5 inch (50 calibre), small mortars, shoulder-launched anti-aircraft missiles and antitank missiles or rockets.
In general, weapons which need limited skills to use and little infrastructure to keep operational are light weapons. They are also easily moved and concealed.
Where do they come from? Nowadays, the sources are usually indirect.
Perhaps 750,000 weapons were stolen from Albanian stores in the month of looting three years ago. Many of these weapons are turning up in western Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Both the Soviet Union and the US supplied arms to Afghanistan. Somewhat reluctantly, the Americans supplied up-to-date Stinger shoulderfired anti-aircraft missiles. These weapons turned up in bazaars elsewhere in the Middle East. The Americans have tried to buy them back, with mixed success. But vital replacement power packs seem to have been successfully blocked.
The US army left 5,000 M16 rifles with the Somali police for law and order purposes. Some of them have appeared elsewhere.
"Corrupt Czech arms trading in Africa" is said to be another source. This writer has seen no proof. Pakistan is also mentioned.
Smugglers prefer smaller goods (diamonds, drugs, etc), but if the price is right rifles, pistols and explosives are hidden in containers and fuel tanks.
Random sales by troops account for small numbers. Weapons are said to have leaked from Soviet troops returning from Poland and East Germany. The Jerusalem Post has reported that the Israeli army was losing a weapon a day.
The London Independent recently reported that Kosovo Liberation Army weapons, which should have been surrendered to NATO, are for sale in western Europe. These include Warsaw Pact and US weapons.
Col E. D. Doyle is a retired Army intelligence officer and military analyst