Huge weapons shipment seized in Bangkok from N. Korea in Khazak plane.

[upi402]

Source: The Nation, Thailand

Huge weapons shipment found aboard plane seeking refuelling stop en route from N Korea to undisclosed location; E European crew held, as cargo declared as military spare parts.

More than 35 tonnes of weapons aboard a Russian-made IL76 cargo plane were impounded yesterday after it stopped over at Don Mueang Airport for refuelling.

A joint Air Force and police unit searched the aircraft, whose final destination remained unknown, and found military hardware including missile heads, rocket-propelled grenades and surface-to-air missile launchers.

The authorities grounded the plane and also took custody of the five crew on-board, who reportedly came from Belarus and Kazakhstan.


The plane, with code number 4L-AWA, was identified as belonging to an entity in Kazakhstan.


It flew from Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea, and asked for permission to land to refuel in Bangkok.


Read more: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2009/12/13/national/national_30118419.php

[ChairmanAgnostic]

1. on its way to Afghanistan, no doubt.

[upi402]

5. North Korea is known to supply Burma with weapons

But the destination is unconfirmed, as of now. Unfortunately, Kim has ben paid already, probably. Running out of fuel is suspicious. This plane's cargo capacity is said to be capable of this payload. A nearby, and troubled possible destination is southern Thailand and Malaysia. Muslims in south Thailand have an ongoing violent separatist movement, but the money needs to be followed.

[iandhr]

7. re: money needs to be followed

always a good plan

[Mopar151]

13. i.e. Who owns/controls the plane

Some Kazak warlord/mifiya chieftan? A legitimate government? (yeah, right....) The new KGB (DRG?) thru some shell company? Was the crew just expendable hirelings? Or did their part of the deal fall thru, and they decide to snitch their way out?

[ChairmanAgnostic]

2. on its way to Afghanistan, no doubt.

[bridgit]

3. People that think this world is already as hard & cold as it can be would do better start waking up

[Turbineguy]

4. If Lil' Kim

is selling weapons for killing American troops he might find himself just a tiny bit deeper in the shit.

[Turborama]

6. Afghanistan is not far from Kazakhstan

How's Kazakhstan's relationship with us these days? Could it be where the Taliban are getting their arms transported overland from?

[DemoTex]

8. Military spare parts indeed.

Poor choice of refueling stops by the crew. If they got themselves in a low-fuel situation where Bangkok's Don Muang International airport was the only choice for fuel, then they deserve what they get (and it shan't be pretty).


Ilyushin Il-76

[upi402]

9. A Thai prison is a refuge compared to what awaits these guys if freed

They are screwn unless they sing to investigators, and get asylum in the deal. But arms dealing is commonplace and the NSA probably already knows how many coins are in their pockets anyway.

They are charged because they lied about the cargo.

[Mopar151]

11. They may have decided that a Thai jail

is better than an umnarked grave in Burma.

[winyanstaz]

10. So other nations cannot ship or sell arms but we can?

Just wondering what the rules are....

[upi402]

12. The golden rule I guess

He who has enough gold for fuel- gets to make the rules.

[bobshin]

14. You got it! We can get away with torture and killing millions, but we're the

teflon good guys.

Just like what our forefathers dreamed...
:sarcasm:

[Garam_Masala]

15. You can ship arms unless there are UN sanctions against you eom