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Sources: Blackwater Used Dog Food Bags To Hide Weapons
Yesterday, we noted that the State Department plans to fine Blackwater USA for illegally shipping weapons to Iraq without the proper permits.
Now, ABCNews.com adds some more detail to the picture, reporting that a federal grand jury is probing whether the company used sacks of dog food to hide weapons and silencers it was shipping into Iraq.
State Department rules forbid Blackwater from using "offensive" weapons, including silencers, which, an expert tells ABCNews.com, would only be used for assassinations.
The report adds:
Larger items, including M-4 assualt weapons, were secreted on shipping pallets surrounded by stacks of dog food bags, the former employees said. The entire pallet would be wrapped in cellophane shrink wrap, the former employees said, making it less likely US customs inspectors would look too closely.
Earlier today, the Associated Press reported that an indictment had been drafted in connection to the deadly shootings of 17 Iraqi civilians last year, in which 6 Blackwater guards have been implicated. No decision has yet been made to file charges.
Josh
Zachary
Oh, a *fine* ... boy, that's gonna hurt.
I guess that's just the cost of doing business with the government of these United States.
November 14, 2008 4:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
US CODE TITLE 18 > PART I > CHAPTER 45 > § 956. Conspiracy to kill, kidnap, maim, or injure persons or damage property in a foreign country.
(a) (Omiteed)
(b) Whoever, within the jurisdiction of the United States, conspires with one or more persons, regardless of where such other person or persons are located, to damage or destroy specific property situated within a foreign country and belonging to a foreign government or to any political subdivision thereof with which the United States is at peace, or any railroad, canal, bridge, airport, airfield, or other public utility, public conveyance, or public structure, or any religious, educational, or cultural property so situated, shall, if any of the conspirators commits an act within the jurisdiction of the United States to effect any object of the conspiracy, be imprisoned not more than 25 years
November 14, 2008 4:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
25 years is a good start.
November 14, 2008 9:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
Why do I think they'll get away with murder (again)?
November 15, 2008 10:16 AM | Reply | Permalink
The smuggling—and let's call it just what it is—of unlicensed (read: contraband) items out of the United States and into Iraq breaks any number of US Customs related laws. And, secreting the contraband by attempting to disguise the shipment physically, while fraudulently filing false export declarations, should bring the company and individual parties responsible some serious time in addition to fines and penalties.
Doing so on a continuing—rather than onetime—basis could well qualify Blackwater USA and key personnel as subjects of a continuing criminal enterprise, and place them in jeopardy of racketeering statutes and RICO treble damages, as well as seizures of the the proceeds and assets of the corporation.
And, it couldn't happen to a nicer—and, more heavily armed—crew of crooks!
November 14, 2008 4:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
Since these weapons would put soldiers in jeopardy during war time, what about treason?!?
November 14, 2008 9:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
If we took all of Blackwater's assets it would go a long way to helping out with the deficit (which Blackwater helped create in the first place).
November 15, 2008 10:18 AM | Reply | Permalink
Related story:
http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/1108/110708cdpm1.htm
Also, Blackwater has been fined yet.
November 14, 2008 4:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
Jail. Soon.
Enjoy.
November 14, 2008 5:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
Despite the Bush Administration's noise about "reducing" Blackwater still has over $1 billion in government contracts. The rumored $1 million fine for this offense is less than .1% of that. Like lawsuit settlements for pharmacological companies, it’s just a cost of doing business. What Blackwater weapons smuggling we know of should more than cover it.
Also, there are a lot of dedicated folks at ICE. Yet dog food or no dog food, how closely do you think customs officials inspected any Blackwater shipments rushed to Iraq?
-AF
Andrew Sullivan Is A Fraud
November 14, 2008 6:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
I went to your link. yawn. Why do you think Andrew Sullivan is a fraud? You obviously disagree with him, so what? Why have a website devoted to saying someone is a fraud? He's actually a pretty smart guy with whom I disagree about 50% of the time. I don't think that makes him fraudulent! Your site doesn't actually say WHY, so I thought I'd ask you.
November 15, 2008 10:22 AM | Reply | Permalink
OK, I know it seems trivial to some of you, but doesn't anyone else get a big "WTF!?!?" reading that we were shipping DOG FOOD to Iraq?
As our own economy collapsed, and our food-stamp applications soared, we were sending enough dog food to Iraq to hide millions of dollars worth of weaponry?
Seriously, I realize the weaponry itself is the story here, but the thought that it could be hidden away in DOG FOOD being sent to Iraq just makes me wonder how many other blatant bits of evidence exist like this, proving just how much this war became a profiteers playground.
Maybe THAT'S what W meant by "MISSION ACCOMPLISHED".
HE HAD JUST MADE LIFE QUITE GOOD FOR HIS PROFITEER PALS AND FAMILY FRIENDS, ONE OF WHOM WAS PRINCE!
Here's a good one; how many bags of dog food does it take to hide a howitzer.
November 16, 2008 9:29 AM | Reply | Permalink