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Probe of silencers leads to web of Pentagon secrets
the Washington Post ^ | Oct 12, 2014 | Craig whitlock

Posted on 10/13/2014 9:35:38 AM PDT by Yollopoliuhqui

The mysterious workings of a Pentagon office that oversees clandestine operations are unraveling in federal court, where a criminal investigation has exposed a secret weapons program entwined with allegations of a sweetheart contract, fake badges and trails of destroyed evidence.

Capping an investigation that began almost two years ago, separate trials are scheduled this month in U.S. District Court in Alexandria, Va., for a civilian Navy intelligence official and a hot-rod auto mechanic from California who prosecutors allege conspired to manufacture an untraceable batch of automatic-rifle silencers.

The exact purpose of the silencers remains hazy, but court filings and pretrial testimony suggest they were part of a top-secret operation that would help arm guerrillas or commandos overseas.

The silencers — 349 of them — were ordered by a little-known Navy intelligence office at the Pentagon known as the Directorate for Plans, Policy, Oversight and Integration, according to charging documents. The directorate is composed of fewer than 10 civilian employees, most of them retired military personnel.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Government
KEYWORDS: banglist; blackops; firearms; guns; pentagon; rogueagency
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can you spell ROGUE?
1 posted on 10/13/2014 9:35:38 AM PDT by Yollopoliuhqui
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To: Yollopoliuhqui

This has been out in the gun community for a while. The consensus is the guy ripped the government off by a ridiculous amount.


2 posted on 10/13/2014 9:43:08 AM PDT by Bogey78O (We had a good run. Coulda been great still.)
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To: Yollopoliuhqui
The exact purpose of the silencers remains hazy

Ummm... to make the gun quieter?

3 posted on 10/13/2014 9:43:19 AM PDT by Fido969 (What's sad is most)
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To: Yollopoliuhqui

Are any credible media carrying this story?


4 posted on 10/13/2014 9:43:48 AM PDT by USFRIENDINVICTORIA
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To: Yollopoliuhqui

Anyone remember back in 1968 when Bobby Kennedy was murdered? That same week, in So Cal, a clandestine unlicensed sub-machine gun manufacturing company was raided by the Feds.

Documents and other info pointed to a secret contract from the LBJ White House showed those guns were made for shipment to South or Central America.

The story died quickly but I believe the NRA had an article on it back then.

Who knows what other secrets are going on.


5 posted on 10/13/2014 9:44:11 AM PDT by Ruy Dias de Bivar
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To: Ruy Dias de Bivar

Oliver North, please pick up the white courtesy phone. Oliver North...


6 posted on 10/13/2014 9:46:22 AM PDT by IncPen (None of this would be happening if John Boehner were alive...)
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To: Yollopoliuhqui

‘...conspired to manufacture an untraceable batch of automatic-rifle silencers.’

Oh my gosh....not automatic rifle silencers....we’re all doomed. LOL...pray tell what the heck is an automatic rifle silencer? These silly journalists really do need to educate themselves before writing this tripe.


7 posted on 10/13/2014 9:52:55 AM PDT by 556x45
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To: Yollopoliuhqui

Suppressed is Best . .


8 posted on 10/13/2014 9:55:09 AM PDT by ßuddaßudd (>> F U B O << "What the hell kind of country is this if I can only hate a man if he's white?")
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To: Yollopoliuhqui

‘...the brother of the directorate’s boss — $1.6 million for the silencers, even though they cost only $10,000 in parts and labor to manufacture.’

Holy cow! Are they made of pure gold...or titanium? Seems really high for sound suppressors w/ no paper. Someone was going to make a healthy profit.


9 posted on 10/13/2014 9:55:43 AM PDT by 556x45
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To: 556x45

‘...the brother of the directorate’s boss — $1.6 million for the silencers, even though they cost only $10,000 in parts and labor to manufacture.’

Holy cow! Are they made of pure gold...or titanium? Seems really high for sound suppressors w/ no paper. Someone was going to make a healthy profit.


They were that expensive to insure the ‘silence’ of the manufacturer. /sarc


10 posted on 10/13/2014 9:58:14 AM PDT by The Working Man
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To: 556x45

The word is he used basic machining to make “solvent trap” adapters. The adapter just allows for a fuel or oil filter to be placed centered over a threaded gun muzzle. Low tech enough that it could literally have been made anywhere while providing a light level of suppression. Literally any competent machinist could make one for a couple dollars in parts and labor.


11 posted on 10/13/2014 10:00:05 AM PDT by Bogey78O (We had a good run. Coulda been great still.)
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To: Bogey78O

If thats the case then its hard to image how the govt could have any case at all. These would be nothing more than adaptors and easily explained away.


12 posted on 10/13/2014 10:10:34 AM PDT by 556x45
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To: Bogey78O

Well in all honesty you can go on the internet and find instructions to make a silencer. Its not rocket science. We don’t need a rogue agency for it. Any enterprising guy could do it.


13 posted on 10/13/2014 10:30:23 AM PDT by Georgia Girl 2 (The only purpose o f a pistol is to fight your way back to the rifle you should never have dropped.)
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To: 556x45

“The mysterious workings of a Pentagon office that oversees clandestine operations are unraveling in federal court, where a criminal investigation has exposed a secret weapons program entwined with allegations of a sweetheart contract, fake badges and trails of destroyed evidence.”

Let’s change weapons for IRS, Benghazi and EPA.


14 posted on 10/13/2014 10:31:04 AM PDT by EQAndyBuzz (Ebola: Satan's End Game for Humanity.)
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To: USFRIENDINVICTORIA
Are any credible media carrying this story?

Nope, still looking for any Credible Media.

15 posted on 10/13/2014 11:01:06 AM PDT by TYVets
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To: 556x45
Holy cow! Are they made of pure gold...or titanium? Seems really high for sound suppressors w/ no paper. Someone was going to make a healthy profit.

Uh, $10,000 for 239 silencers (er, suppressors) amounts to less than $42 each.

16 posted on 10/13/2014 11:55:05 AM PDT by Real Cynic No More (Border Fence Obamacare!)
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To: Real Cynic No More

‘Court records filed by prosecutors allege that the Navy paid the auto mechanic — the brother of the directorate’s boss — $1.6 million for the silencers, even though they cost only $10,000 in parts and labor to manufacture.’

and

‘...The silencers — 349 of them — were ordered by .

1.6 million / 349


17 posted on 10/13/2014 12:09:00 PM PDT by 556x45
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To: 556x45

OK, I recalled the total number incorrectly. But the article did say they were worth only $10,000. That makes my case even more. That’s less than $29 each. The $1.6M is a different issue altogether.


18 posted on 10/13/2014 12:33:46 PM PDT by Real Cynic No More (Border Fence Obamacare!)
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To: Yollopoliuhqui

My bet is this office of retired military officers wanted the suppressors for themselves. They seem like a strange bunch living in their own fantasy world.


19 posted on 10/13/2014 1:00:10 PM PDT by IndispensableDestiny
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To: Yollopoliuhqui
can you spell ROGUE?

No, can you "spell" a business designed to provide tools to groups and individuals operating with specific government oversight?
No, I didn't think you could.

20 posted on 10/14/2014 1:09:22 AM PDT by Tainan (Cogito, ergo conservatus sum -- "The Taliban is inside the building")
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