Posted on 05/19/2006 1:30:59 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Federal agents seized a Mercedes-Benz from an Army reservist who said the armor-plated, bulletproof luxury car probably belonged to Saddam Hussein.
First Sgt. William von Zehle said he bought the car while serving in Iraq. U.S. Immigration and Customs enforcement agents said the car, which was also equipped with loudspeakers and hidden microphones, was being treated as a "possible war trophy."
"It belonged to the former Iraqi regime," ICE spokesman Dean Boyd said. He said investigators were unsure whether the former Iraqi dictator actually owned it.
Von Zehle was quoted in news stories last summer as saying he bought the car for about $5,000 in 2003 while serving in Baghdad with the 411th Civil Affairs Battalion. "I can't prove it, but yeah, this was Saddam Hussein's car," he said.
The car was seized Thursday. A call to von Zehle's home in Ridgefield on Friday was not immediately returned.
Federal agents are holding the car while investigating possible violations of federal smuggling laws and an executive order barring the importation of property from the former Iraqi regime.
Von Zehle was not charged with a crime.
The white Mercedes was also equipped with a series of pipes that shoot flames out the side of the car, von Zehle has said.
The guy's got brass. The movie rights will be worth more than the car.
Wonder what kind of mileage it gets...
I want one
with or without the flames shooting out the pipes on the side of the car? :)
He should have mailed it home piece by piece like Radar did in MASH.
Definitely WITH the flames ;) hehe
how'd he get back to the states without any eyebrows raised ?
The flame-thrower is a typical third-world anti-carjacking device. It'd be great for driving in Detroit, or South Central Los Angeles.
Only some lame ass bureaucrat could come up with this crap.
Along with it's large steam powered stern paddlewheel, it also has a calliope that plays popular Broadway show tunes.
LOL, nice find! Baghdad Bond?
My grandfather was an avation line mechanic and crew chief in WW2, he told me this story. He was stationed in TX, AR and LA. A Major killed himself when he rearended a deuse and a half in a Jeep. The jeep was marked down as totaled and taken off the inventory. An old top sargent in the motor pool rebuilt the jeep a little here a little there over 6 months. He then gave it to his dad who was a farmer in the panhandle.
Does it also have an airbag suspension and a scrape plate for that shower of sparks look?
Future headline:
"Flamethrowing Car Hijacked by Thieves Wearing Asbestos Suits"
I worked for a company from 1985-89 where we made armored limos... pretty interersting job.
A few cars we did had AK's mounted under the hood with rubber knock out plugs in the grill. Real James Bond stuff...back then.
Ha ha! Would you like your ride pimped or un-pimped, sir?
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