Demand for gas masks has soared in France since the terrorist attacks in the United States and the subsequent strikes on Afghanistan, with several military surplus stores in the capital reporting record sales. ”We have been selling 70 to 80 gas masks a week since the attacks, to people of all ages and walks of life,” said a salesman who refused to give his name at Doursoux, a surplus store in Paris. ”We’ve never seen anything like it. Usually we sell one mask a month.” He said some of his customers were purchasing the masks for their entire family while others were sending them to relatives or friends in New York, where they feared there might be a shortage. Sales have also jumped at Outremer, another store that sells military equipment in the capital. ”We’ve sold dozens of masks since the attacks on the United States mainly to elderly people who need to feel reassured,” said sales clerk Herve Vernier. The gas masks at both stores sell for an average price of 1 200 francs ($172). Vernier admitted that most of his customers probably wouldn’t know how to properly use the masks. ”They are unlikely to ever use them,” he said. ”The masks are probably left near their beds and they allow them to sleep better at night.” – Sapa-AFP