British military firearm linked to crime

NOTTINGHAM, England, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Authorities have linked a gun used in a recent attempted homicide in Britain to the country's military.

National Ballistics Intelligence Program officers said the weapon used to shoot police officer Rachael Brown in the city of Nottingham was likely smuggled back from Afghanistan or Iraq by British troops, or was stolen from one of the country's military bases, The Observer reported Sunday.

While the federal program has been tracking a number of military weapons that ultimately found their way into the hands of criminals, the 2006 shooting marked the first time such guns were used on British streets.

Brown has since recovered from her wounds and a Trinidad man was found guilty in her shooting.

The Observer said that in order to limit the number of military weapons involved in such illicit acts, the military has launched an operation aimed at limiting smuggling by British troops.