Seized North Korean arms 'bound for Iran'

Space War ^ | 12/21/2009 | Staff Writers Via Space War

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

A planeload of North Korean arms seized in Bangkok was reportedly bound for Iran, which has been buying up large amounts of weaponry in recent months as it braces for a possible onslaught by Israel, and possibly the United States. Mystery has shrouded the destination of the Georgian-registered Ilyushin Il-76 cargo plane that was found be to carrying 35 tons of arms, including surface-to-air missiles and rocket launchers, in 12 crates when it was detained during a refueling stop on Dec. 11 following a tip-off from U.S. intelligence.

The five-man crew, all former Soviet air force members from Belarus and Kazakhstan, are in police custody and claim they thought they were hauling oil-field equipment.

According to two organizations that monitor international arms transfers -- TransArms in Chicago and the International Peace Information Service in Antwerp, Belgium -- the Ilyushin's flight plan now in the hands of Thai authorities indicates that Iran was the final destination of the deadly cargo, worth an estimated $18 million.

Tehran has been buying unusually large amounts of weapons and military equipment in recent months because of fears the Islamic Republic will be attacked by Israel to knock out its nuclear facilities, and possibly by the United States as well.

North Korea has been identified as a key source of those arms purchases. But in recent months U.S. authorities have also broken up several clandestine Iranian efforts to buy F-4 fighters, helicopters, aircraft components and other military materiel worth $2.5 billion.

The Ilyushin cargo was the first airborne arms shipment from Pyongyang to be seized since U.N. Security Council Resolution 1874 banning arms exports by Pyongyang was passed in June after North Korea conducted missile and nuclear tests.

[AmericanInTokyo]

Thanks for the post.

But I have to say, with respect to that article....CAPTAIN OBVIOUS!

We deduced as such over here on FR nearly a week ago.

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

I did not see your article

[AmericanInTokyo]

Here it is, friend, back on 16 December:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2408505/posts

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

Thanks for pointing it out

:)

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]