Scotland Yard anti-terror rifles recalled

Rifles used by anti-terror officers at Scotland Yard in the UK have been recalled after it was discovered the weapons could fire unintentionally.
The Metropolitan Police was instructed last month by the maker of the SIG Sauer MCX rifle to stop using it after the American company found a fault with potentially fatal consequences, 'The Sunday Times' reported.
"SIG has found through extensive factory testing that in extremely rare instances, not reported in the field and extremely difficult to replicate, a condition may exist causing an unintended discharge," the company said in a statement.
"Failure to follow the loading procedures and basic rules of safe firearms handling outlined in the user's manual has the potential to cause serious bodily harm or death," it said.

SIG said it was conducting "a mandatory replacement of the carriage assembly in SIG MCX rifles".
"SIG has decided to upgrade all MCX models. We want to ensure the quality and reliability of all products we manufacture. Stop use of [the] firearm immediately," the statement said.

The MCX rifles are seen being carried by Met officers at public venues across London.
There are furtherplans to increase the number of armed police in Britain in the wake of the terrorist attack on Paris at the end of November 2015, which killed 130 people.
As well as armed response teams on regular patrol, Scotland Yard has specialist counter-terrorism firearms squads on call 24 hours a day.

"Officers within the specialist firearms command do carry the MCX weapon and the Met is aware of the issue which SIG Sauer have outlined," a Met Police statement said.
There is no suggestion that the rifles have discharged unintentionally in public.