Missile Plot - Briton Arrested on Suspicion of Planning to Smuggle Missile Into U.S

ABC News ^ | 8/12/03

[areafiftyone]

A British citizen has been arrested on suspicion of being involved in a plot to smuggle surface-to-air missiles into the United States, ABCNEWS has learned.

The man was arrested in Newark, N.J., this morning as part of an international sting pulled off by the FBI, British and Russian authorities. Other arrests are under way.

The person arrested allegedly sought to smuggle a Russian-made surface-to-air missile into the country and believed he was selling missiles to would-be terrorists, sources said. The name of the person has not been disclosed

[Eurotwit]

Here's the story from the web-site...It seems to contradict what they said on the telly just a while ago...Well, at least that the FBI denies that the Air Force One was the target... Apparently the plot involved a fairly sopfisticated russian made missile:

"British arms dealer arrested in US


A Briton has been arrested after a suspected plot to supply a lethal surface-to-air missile to terrorists.
Western intelligence officials have confirmed to the BBC it was a multinational sting operation, involving agents from the US, Russia and Britain.

It resulted in the arrest of a British arms dealer at Newark in New Jersey on Tuesday.

Officials say he successfully imported a Russian Igla missile into the US and believed he was selling it to an Muslim extremist.

But his buyer was an undercover FBI agent and the arms dealer's voice is heard on tape saying he wanted the missile to be used to shoot down a large passenger plane.

The FBI have denied that the plane in question was Airforce One, the US President's official aircraft.

More follows soon. "


What they said on their breaking news report was that according to their sources the arms dealer wanted to target the air force one...

[jimbo123]

From Sky News:


BRIT ARRESTED IN FBI SWOOP

A Briton has been arrested in the US for allegedly being part of a plot to sell missiles to terrorists.

American officials say the man was arrested at an airport in Newark, New Jersey as part of a FBI-led multinational arms swoop.


Sources in America say the British person arrested was picked up after allegedly going to collect a package at the airport.

It is believed the surface to air missile was a Russian Igla imported into the US as part of a plot to sell it on to terrorists.

The swoop was made yesterday afternoon after a joint operation between the FBI, British and Russian security agencies.

Weapons experts say the missile was capable of shooting down an airplane.

More to follow...

Last Updated: 21:55 UK, Tuesday August 12, 2003

[Shermy]

Shermy who is Paracha??

Press Paracha keyword above.

Most my work at the third story down. Other threads have more info. Uzair Paracha is the young man arrested in March, announced recently. Works for his father, an apparent bag man for Al Qaeda, and a Newark/Pakistan based importer. Daddy also has a pre-historic whale species named after him (True!).

[Ex-Dem]

I really hope the Ruskies were aware of the missile sale and allowed it to proceed so they could catch the guy in the middle of actually selling the thing.

[mewzilla]

FYI, Brian Ross on an ABC News radio piece that aired a moment ago said the Igla is capable of "infra red targeting capacity".

[Miss Marple]

Try shooting down Air Force One, and the terrorists would have to deal with a Dose Jihad!!

This has me enraged. What part of "leave us alone" do they not understand? Grrrr.

[Brad’s Gramma]

Thanks for the updates.

[Eurotwit]

The BBC repeated again that the target was Air Force One and that this russiam missile is one of the most advanced missiles in the world with a capability to bring down Air Force One....

[Mo1]

They said the plot involved a plan to kill the Preseident by shooting down Air Force One

Good Lord ... what else are they saying?

[Constitutional Patriot]

"The name of the person has not been disclosed"

Because the person has an Islamic name.

[Brad’s Gramma]

Here please.

[RightWhale]

how unfortunate it is that this story will reflect badly on muslims.

No kidding. Muslims have to clean house. As far as sneaking missiles, terrorists have to be unbalanced to think that sporadic acts or threats on their part can possibly bring terror to the hearts and minds of anyone, Americans least of all.

[RoughDobermann]

The BBC repeated again that the target was Air Force One and that this russiam missile is one of the most advanced missiles in the world with a capability to bring down Air Force One....

AF1 has some rather sophisticated defense capabilities. They are classified, of course, but not that classified...

[OldFriend]

How dare Ashcroft subvert this terrorist's civil rights?

[King Prout]

oh.
dear me.
And by the cold Potomac there shall be tummult and affright.

[mewzilla]

Here's a link to an Igla cousin, the SA16. It talks about the Igla 18. And I just saw on a Pravda story from last year that the Russians have found the Chechens with these things. Ducky.

[OldFriend]

The story on Drudge indicates the suspect is from India......

[Cobra64]

We need to bring these people to quick trial and hang them in public.

You are too kind. Go see the moveie Hannible and tell us what you think about those wild pigs getting ready to eat Hannibal's captors. Islamists are scared sh!tless of anything dealing with the pig/boar family. I'd feed terrorists to the pigs and would air the act on all of the major networks for broadcast all over the planet.

[Eurotwit]

From Pravda:

"Six Igla anti-aircraft complexes confiscated in Chechnya

Six portable anti-aircraft missile complexes have been confiscated in Chechnya. According to the regional operational HQ of the counter-terrorist operation in the North Caucasus, the weapons were found in a cache in one of Chechnya's districts. HQ officers refused to indicate the cache's location, stressing that the search for those involved in its implanting was being conducted. All details of the operation are so far kept in secret. Igla is a Russian portable weapon for destruction of air and ground targets, and surpasses US Stingers by its characteristics.

The HQ officers also said that a 82-mm calibre mortar, 688 rounds for underbarrel grenade launcher, and 56 rockets were found in the cache. Specialists recognise this cache as one of the largest ones detected during the anti-terrorist operation. "

Missile 9M39

of "IGLA" 9K38 portable anti-aircraft missile system (PAMS)

Missile 9M39 of the portable anti-aircraft missile system "Igla" (9K38) is designed for defeat of visually observed jet, turbo-prop and piston-engined aircrafts and helicopters on head-on and tail-on courses under conditions of influence of natural (background) and false heat jammings.

The missile is fired by a gunner from the shoulder in a standing or kneeling position from a fire position on the terrain providing good observation of air space. PAMS "Igla" possesses automatic introduction of elevation and lead angles, deep destruction of warhead, uses detonating fuel in propulsion system and displacement circuit in a homing head ensuring the missile hit into the most vulnerable components of the target and allows to defeat effectively modern aircrafts and helicopters of enemy.

PAMS "Igla" operation is approved for use under conditions of temperate cold, arid and humid tropical climate.

Technical Characteristics Calibre, mm 72.2 Length of a container with a missile, mm 1708 Start mass of a missile, kg 10.6 Height of target engagement, m maximum 3500 minimum 10 Maximum speed of target engagement, m/s 400 Activation time, s, not more than 13 Maximum range of the target engagement, m 5200 Crew, persons 1

Reporting that the arms dealer might be connected to the Indian underworld.

[King Prout]

BOOM!