[fight_truth_decay]

Joseb Kharabadze, one of the charged
18 people, is led in handcuffs by federal agents from FBI / Photo: AP

Over the following year, the informant purchased eight assault weapons in locations around the country. Using a digital camera provided by the informant, members of the ring, which included Armenians and South Africans, provided pictures of the weapons they said they had available for sale, the official said.

The pictures, apparently taken somewhere in Armenia, show anti-tank missiles, a Russian missile launcher and a recoilless anti-tank rifle, among other weapons>

http://www.mosnews.com/news/2005/03/15/weaponssmuggle.shtml

17 are in custody (FoxNews)..activities were for al Qaeda related hits within the US. It's not over yet. Authorities are going into Eastern European countries to round up other suspects for questioning. Next, the subject of discussion will turn to our legal right to go into other countries for arrests..watch and see.

[familyop]

"...members of the ring, which included Armenians..."

Armenia keeps a presence of Russian troops, weapons and other support from Russia and wants to help the "Russian Federation" to reunite what would effectively be the Soviet Union all over again. Armenia fights with more independent neighbors for that purpose.

Russia wants her satellites back and shares that strong desire with the Chinese (Taiwan and control of the oceans there).

Here some background information from a quick search.

"Moscow's Hunt in the Caucasus"
Heritage Foundation

"Eurasian analysts worried by Russian assertiveness and ineffective US policy"
The Caspian Project