Pair accused of making portable X-ray weapon

US authorities have accused two New York men of assembling a portable X-ray weapon that they intended to use to secretly sicken opponents of Israel.

Prosecutors said Glendon Scott Crawford, aged 49, of Galway, and Eric J Feight, aged 54, of Hudson, have been charged with conspiracy to provide support to terrorists following a year-long undercover investigation.

Investigators said Crawford approached Jewish organisations looking for people to help him with technology that could be used to surreptitiously deliver damaging and even lethal doses of radiation against those he considered enemies of Israel.