Posted on 05/20/2006 10:11:09 AM PDT by STARWISE
NEW HAVEN — Federal customs agents seized a Mercedes-Benz on Thursday from an Army reservist who said the armor-plated, bulletproof luxury car likely 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, of Ridgefield, was quoted in news stories last summer as saying he bought the white 1988 Mercedes Benz 560 SEL for about $5,000 in 2003 while serving in Baghdad with the Danbury-based 411th Civil Affairs Battalion.
"I can’t prove it, but yeah, this was Saddam Hussein’s car," he said last summer.
Von Zehle said he learned through research that Mercedes sold three armored 560s to the Iraqi government in 1988, while it was headed by Hussein. Von Zehle said he also saw three photos of the former Iraqi dictator driving in a white armored Mercedes.
(Excerpt) Read more at nhregister.com ...
His Mercedes was shipped through Jordan and Syria to Greece to Spain before finally arriving in May 2004 in the United States. Von Zehle repaired several parts on the car and parked it in his garage once he returned from Iraq.
Among its unique features: The vehicle was equipped with a series of pipes that shoot flames out the side of the car.
It belongs to all of us. I wanna drive it on Mondays yall....and play with the flame shooter on Highway 635 during rush our..
just think of the fun you could have with potential carjackers.....eeeeeeeeHaaaa!!!!!
Doogle
when my dad was in WW2, he brough home all sorts of goodies.
I understand why you cant bring back Auto weapons, but let the man have the car. he risked his life, so I consider this a perk of the job.
To the victor, the spoils.
As long as he dismantles the flamethrowers, why can't he have the damn car? He probably bought it from the Iraqi equavalent of Midnight Auto Sales, though, so maybe that is what customs is really upset about.
That's worth $5K alone.
just think of the fun you could have with potential carjackers.....eeeeeeeeHaaaa!!!!!
Doogle
It is actually legal to torch carjackers with a built-in car flamethrower in South Africa. It's an option on South African cars!
Here is a short clip of one in action.
The spoils, minus the government's cut, you dig?;)
Particularly seeing as how he spent HIS money to buy it....
It's not like he stole it and secretly shipped it home.
well...first of all I dont think everyone should own a Auto weapon. The rules on Auto ownership are not the best, but I see the need for them.
I am a gun owner. I own a lot and shoot a lot. It would be chaos if everyone owna Full auto.
When they come after my Mini 14..then there will eb a problem
Connecticut ping!
Please Freepmail me if you want on or off my infrequent Connecticut ping list.
"Can you enlighten us as to why soldiers shouldn't be able to bring back auto weapons?"
Umm, because they might go nuts, and with a machine gun they can kill a LOT of people before they are brought down?
For the same reason that people are not allowed to own anti-aircraft missile batteries and keep them parked on their front lawn by the airport?
Because there are some weapons so powerful that they don't simply serve a self-defense function (unless one's house is being attacked by screaming mobs of Hottentots, which is...unlikely), but are able to produce mass-casualties, and no civilian not under direct military or paramilitary command and control can be allowed to possess weapons that can create mass-casualties?
For the same reason that private armies aren't legal? A machine gun in civilian life makes a man a one-man army, even over against the police.
Those are a few reasons. We could come up with more.
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