Posted on 11/02/2001 6:52:56 AM PST by CommiesOut
| Twin towers treasure trove a lure for looters: Secret vaults Gold, arms and seized drugs in huge basement The Guardian - United Kingdom; Nov 2, 2001 BY AUDREY GILLAN IN NEW YORK
The vaults below the complex that was the World Trade Centre were a vast and secret place. Not only did they hold some of the world's largest gold depositories, but they were home to stashes belonging to the CIA and secret service. Seventy feet below ground is an array of goods that includes bricks of cocaine, fake taxi cabs used for covert operations, bomb-proof state cars and security files meant for the eyes of the CIA only - nice booty for potential looters. As Brink's-Mat security vans brought out Dollars 200m (pounds 137m) of gold from a safety store below 4 World Trade Centre, which was on the east side of the ruined complex, it emerged that someone had tried to get into the vaults, no doubt with robbery in mind. Two weeks ago a security guard spotted scorch marks on a basement doorway which had not been noticed by a patrol team a few hours before. Behind the door were thousands of tonnes of gold and silver. It looked like someone had used a blowtorch and a crowbar and it prompted concerns that they may try to do so again. Video surveillance systems have now been installed. As they dig amid the rubble, recovery workers are uncover ing corridors and gangways that lead to the cavernous vaults below. The 16-acre basement has enough square footage to fill a building of greater proportion than the Empire State building. Engineers and recovery officials say that large parts of the underground storage rooms are undamaged. Since September 11 very little has been said about the treasures that lie below what has become a mass grave. But down there are piles of old furniture, a mountain of Godiva chocolates, stacks of illegal assault weapons, as well as jewels and more gold and silver. Beneath the customs house - 6 World Trade Centre - was a fleet of government vehicles, including dozens owned by the secret service. The cars were kept in a sealed-off area, part of which was a garage which housed a single armoured limousine used to carry heads of state and dignitaries visiting the city. The building also housed an office of the CIA containing drugs, weapons and contraband seized by customs officers. The bureau of alcohol, tobacco and firearms also lost two evidence vaults, according to a spokesman. "There could be several hundred weapons - somewhere between 200 and 400, ranging from small-calibre semi-automatic pistols to assault rifles," he told the New York Times. He said agents plan to be on the scene when the remains of the building are demolished some time in the next two weeks. "After that, we'll be working at the landfill to search for any missing items."
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he even got pissy because The New American "didn't mention the genocidal war of suppression recently committed by Milosevic's stalinist Serb regime"
"If the international community does not take immediate action, countless deaths and terrible tragedy are certain to follow," he told reporters, appealing for other countries to boost their assistance to Afghanistan.
The new US assistance, which includes 65,000 tonnes of wheat, five million dollars in other foodstuffs such as vegetable oil and 10 million dollars for refugees and internally displaced persons, brings to 124 million dollars the amount of aid Washington is providing this year to Afghans.
The United States is the largest single donor of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan despite not recognizing the legitimacy of the country's ruling Taliban militia and Powell reasserted US concerns about the fundamentalist Muslim group.
"Our aid bypasses the Taliban who have done little to alleviate the suffering of the Afghan people, and indeed, have done much to exacerbate it," he said.
They wonder why they are hated.
They wonder why they are dispised.
They are so caught up in there rhetoric, I think they've brain washed themselves. True Americans are NOT fooled!
They ought to be playing "We're in the money"; instead of the national anthem at these political swearing-in ceremonies, don't ya think?
SPRAY ALL THE BABIES WITH POISON YOU WANT GEORGE JR -- IT WILL ONLY MAKE PURVERTS LOVE YOU MORE -- PURVERT!
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