| Submit your comments on this article |
| Home Front: WoT |
| Missile 'could have shot down jet' |
| 2005-01-06 |
| A shoulder-fired missile allegedly smuggled into the United States by a British businessman could easily have been used by terrorists bent on shooting down a packed commercial jet, a court heard. Jurors in new Jersey were shown Russian-made Igla Sa 18 rocket system which Hemant Lakhani, 69, is accused of bringing to the US for what he believed was a terror plot. Lakhani from Hendon, north London, is accused of shipping the missile as a "sample" of a further 200 he said he could supply to an undercover FBI agent posing as an Islamic terrorist. The court previously heard Lakhani suggested shooting down 10-15 planes simultaneously to spread panic and cripple the US economy. Indian-born Lakhani denies the charges and claims he was entrapped by American, British and Russian intelligence eager to snare terrorists following the September 11 attacks. New Jersey District Court in Newark was given a sobering explanation of the workings of Igla, which Lakhani allegedly bought from undercover Russian agents posing as Ukrainian arms dealers. Rodney Routledge, an expert in short-range missiles from the US Defence Intelligence Agency, agreed that Igla was a "weapon of choice" for terrorists, adding "they are capable of destroying virtually any aircraft". "It is hidden in something as simple as a rolled-up rug or furniture crate," he told the court. "They are easy to use. I can probably teach, within 15 minutes, a hands-on demonstration of the process of how to use it and expect efficiency from the user. "They are relatively inexpensive and they are very accurate and capable. They are capable of destroying virtually any aircraft that flies. They can be fired from almost anywhere." |
| Posted by:tipper |
| #1 entrapped by American, British and Russian intelligence eager to snare terrorists LOL! Imagine that ...all three agencies out to entrap him. Just cause you are paranoid... |
| Posted by: 2b 2005-01-06 8:29:52 AM |