Stop powerful laser pointers (news)

Stop powerful laser pointers (news)
Laser louts attack police

A police helicopter searching for the culprits behind a series of recent laser attacks was attacked by a laser last night.

The brazen attack comes just a day after NSW Premier Morris Iemma announced a ban on the most powerful laser pointers, and made it a summary offence to carry a laser pointer without a lawful reason.

The helicopter was patrolling in Holroyd in Sydney's west about 10pm when a laser was beamed at the aircraft, a police spokeswoman said.

"Police subsequently made further patrols in that particular vicinity ... unfortunately they could not locate those responsible, '' a police spokeswoman said.

The laser was shone just once and did not disorient the pilot or his co-pilot.

Mr Iemma yesterday said the misuse of laser devices could result in mass murder.

"It only takes a fraction of a second for a pilot to become temporarily blinded and that could have catastrophic consequences, '' Mr Iemma said.

"It is a gutless and cowardly act that could result in an horrific outcome.''

There have been a spate of laser attacks on airplanes in the last month, including a co-ordinated 15-minute attack using four green lasers that forced six aircraft to change flight paths as they approached Sydney Airport.

There have also been attacks on a Virgin Blue plane travelling from Cairns to Sydney Airport, and a Cessna 152 that was flying over Port Macquarie

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