Thanks for the ping Oorang.........interesting things going on. Have you all seen this?
Man Accused of Trying to Buy Batteries for Missile System
Last Update: 1/31/2007 4:19:21 PM
SAN ANTONIO (AP) - An Oregon man was arrested trying to buy batteries that power Hawk surface-to-air missile systems for export to Iran, according to U.S. immigration officials.
Robert Caldwell, 56, was trying to buy the batteries for shipment to Iran, the San Antonio Express-News reported Wednesday, citing court documents. He was arrested on a charge of conspiring to export without a license items regulated by State Department arms regulations.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents allege in an affidavit that Caldwell, who is from Portland and owns an export brokerage company, was a middleman in a scheme to smuggle Hawk missile parts to Iran.
Caldwell told agents he was led to believe the batteries had other applications than powering the missile system and that they were for a navigational system. He did acknowledge to them, however, that the batteries still require a license for export outside the United States, the affidavit said.
"Caldwell told (special agents) that he knew it was illegal to do this, but did not know the consequences," the affidavit said.
His lawyer, Van Hilley, said Caldwell had never been arrested before and that he would seek to have Caldwell released from jail.
His arrest followed that of another man last year, who tried to buy batteries for export to Iran, the affidavit said. That initial arrest led authorities to Caldwell, and the investigation continues.
The Hawk missile system was developed in the 1950s for U.S. forces and has largely been replaced by newer, more advanced systems, according to the U.S. Army's Web site. Other countries, however, also purchased the systems from manufacturers.
LINK
Thanks, I had not heard of this case.
"Caldwell told (special agents) that he knew it was illegal to do this, but did not know the consequences," the affidavit said.
Yet another individual with no moral compass. I hope they throw the book at him.