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| Southeast Asia |
| Seized arms were Iran-bound |
| 2010-02-01 |
| [Straits Times] A SHIPMENT of weapons from North Korea seized by Thai authorities last month were headed for Iran, according to a confidential report the Thai government sent to a UN Security Council committee. Thai authorities seized more than 35 tons of arms from a cargo plane they said had come from North Korea, and arrested its five crew members after the aircraft made an emergency landing at a Bangkok airport in December. The report to the Security Council's North Korea sanctions committee, seen by Reuters on Saturday, said the shipment included rockets, fuses, rocket launchers and rocket-propelled grenades. The cargo plane departed from Pyongyang and was en route to Mehrabad airport in Tehran, the report said. The shipping firm was listed as Korea Mechanical Industry Co. The movement of North Korean arms to Iran appears to have been an effort to violate UN sanctions against North Korea that was foiled by the Thai government, diplomats said. Although Iran is subject to separate UN sanctions because of its nuclear program, it is not forbidden to import arms. Council diplomats said on condition of anonymity that the sanctions committee was expected to discuss the Thai report next month when it considers its latest quarterly report, due on Feb 11. The committee will probably send letters to Pyongyang and Teheran for details on the shipment, the Western diplomats added. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #1 then on to Hezbollah, Gaza, Houthis, or? |
| Posted by: Frank G 2010-02-01 07:31 |