Bonn, Thursday

A TOP-SECRET project in the former Soviet Union in the 1970s turned

soldiers and security agents into programmable ''human weapons'' and is

now being exploited by mobsters and private firms, it was claimed today.

The psychological weapon project relied on hypnosis and high-frequency

radio waves to turn members of the Soviet security forces and military

into fearless, conscienceless fighting machines, said a programme on

German television.

The Psychotronic Influence System relied on passwords and numbered

codes to activate its subjects.

After the KGB project's existence was made public hundreds of former

Soviet soldiers, police, and KGB members have sought health damages.

However the programme said some special Russian police units still use

the system today and it has found its way on to the free market, where

mobsters and private security firms are using it, the programme

reported.--AP.