Posted on 08/04/2002 5:02:01 PM PDT by Pokey78
A MILLIONAIRE diamond-smuggler closely linked to a notorious arms dealer was arrested in Italy at the weekend on suspicion of supplying weapons to al-Qaeda. Sanjivan Ruprah, who is Kenyan-born, was picked up near Milan, which investigators say is al-Qaeda’s main European headquarters. He was said to be travelling on a fake Belgian passport with an unnamed woman, believed to be his sister, who was using British documents. Mr Ruprah’s name features prominently on a United Nations list of those banned from international flights because of links to arms and diamond-trafficking in Africa, as is his close associate, the Russian businessman Victor Bout. British and US Intelligence allege that Mr Bout was the main arms supplier to the Taleban. Mr Ruprah was on the run after fleeing bail in Belgium, and the Italian police said: “We all know about this man, who is an international arms-trafficker.” Detectives say that they found incriminating documents during their search.
Americans Finally Link Liberian president Taylor to Al Qaeda
Leonid Efirmovich Minin, Taylor Partner Busted in Italy
Ibrahim Bah, a former fighter in Afghanistan and southern Lebanon is the principle Muslim diamond dealer in West Africa. Bah met Abdullah Ahmed Abdullah, a top Bin Ladin advisor,in Liberia in 1998. Most of the stones from this area end up in Belgium.
Israel imports 89% of its diamond rough from Belgium, the UK and Switzerland. The UK imports 41% of its rough from Switzerland. Switzerland has no diamond mines and "officially" imports almost no uncut diamonds.
In May of 2001, President Bush signed an executive order banning the import of rough diamonds from this area.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news
So the question is, why did it take the election of Bush for this EO to be signed? Who was profitting from the trade?
Belgian authorities have already taken various legal steps on the basis of their own investigation and information provided by the UN and the sector itself. These measures include, in particular, the issuing by Belgium of an international warrant for the arrest ofVictor Bout and the arrest of the Lebanese diamond merchants Samih Ossailly and Sanjivan Ruprah, the right-hand man of Victor Bout . Incidentally, on the basis of today's UN report, the Antwerp public prosecutor's office immediately launched a criminal investigation into the firm Limo Diamonds, which is named in the report.
UN Security Council Report:
Case study: Limo DiamondsLimo Diamonds is a rough diamond trading and polishing company based in Antwerp and Tel Aviv.
Its Antwerp address is Office 214, Diamond Club, Pelikanstraat 62.
Limo is a member of a diamond bourse and banks with the Antwerpse Diamantbank.
Its office in Tel Aviv is Spark Diamonds Ltd., Diamond Exchange, Rm 1405-6, Ramat Gan.
The directors of the two companies are Moshe Fisher and Israel Fisher.
The Mechanism has been able to put together a chain of information and evidence that links Limo Diamonds to the purchase of embargoed diamonds from a man who was previously said to be the largest illicit diamond dealer in Luanda, Jose Francisco,known "Chico".
Francisco is a known diamond buyer in Angola,identified by ASCorp Security as the single largest illicit buyer in Luanda. In an attempt to curb his illicitactivities, Francisco was invited to join ASCorp as alicensed diamond buyer and did so in July 2001,bringing with him his group of 10 buyers based principally in Lucapa.
The smuggling activities referred to in this case relate to the period before JoseFrancisco joined ASCorp.
It is not known whether the diamonds in the case originate from UNITA sources or other sources in Angola.In tracking Francisco's activities, ASCorp learned that he was selling his diamonds through the CentralAfrican Republic and gave the Mechanism informationconcerning several parcels which had been exported to Antwerp, allegedly through a middleman known as C. Van Tures.
The Mechanism carried out a probe into the activities of Mr. Van Tures to further determine whether he was trading embargoed gems.
In the Central African Republic, no trace of his legal presence could be found. The Central African Republic did not answer the Mechanism's requests for information on any diamond exports allegedly made by Mr. Van Tures to Antwerp.
Van Tures's trades were made from January toSeptember 2000, while the Bangui diamond exchangewas closed. The Mechanism identified a total of 50,000carats exported by this middleman to Limo Diamondsat a value of $18 million.
http://www.niza.nl/fataltransactions/docs/angola/un9april02.pdf
Btw...Gaydamak is tied to the guy who fixed the Olympics , Marc Rich and Danny Yatom, Barak's Mossad chief.
Interesting how Lev Leviev knew who was selling diamonds to some nasty people and did nothing about it but invited the smugglers into his business (ASCorp).
More details here:
As it so happens, Mr. Leviev is a very close personal friend of someone in my immediate family. He is a very fine gentleman, and a good citizen. He is not a criminal. So it is therefore possible for me to ask him this very question.
If you have some real evidence that he has committed crimes, let's hear it and I can tell him to his face. Otherwise admit that you don't know what the hell you are talking about.
LOL. Bet your comment starts the recording again.
If you have some real evidence that he has committed crimes, let's hear it and I can tell him to his face. Otherwise admit that you don't know what the hell you are talking about.
Haven't you read larry's posts, he donates to Jewish charities. Damning in the view of an antisemite.
Next thing you'll try to tell me Maurice Templesman isn't a tax evader.
I wonder how Mr. Leviev would feel and what he would do, if he knew he was being unfairly slandered, based on no evidence, at an internet website. Hmmmmm.
He probably can't do that, probablynot reading the post. He's explained he doesn't talk to those of Yehuda's religion on FR.
If it wasn't for Lied pinging me when he writes about a Jew, I would have thought they caugt the guy who fixed the skating medal.
Pinging Jews to the Jew threads, when he won't talk to them.
That's particularly bizarre behaivior.
Seems lots of people involved. Some just in the biz as it has worked for decades. Others with grander designs.
Keep up the good work. I'm wondering if that Russian guy really fixed the Olympics, or was just big-mouthing. Anyway, perhaps leverage to spill the beans on other stuff. Fixing the Olympics? Dang good PG-rated drama crime. Should make an interesting movie.
An international arrest warrant, number 0019292016, was issued for Arkadi Gaidamak (Gaydamak) on 11th January 2001. Nevertheless, it appears that Gaidamak currently enjoys the protection of Israel. Well-placed sources have suggested that he continues to travel freely between Israel and Angola, to South America and into the UK. . .In 1998, Gaidamak legally changed his name in Israel to Arye Barlev. In early 2000, the Tel Aviv newspaper Yedi'ot Aharonot's Leshabat supplement, reported that 15% of the shares of the Israeli public company Africa Israel, which were controlled by businessman Lev Leviev had been acquired by Gaidamak.
It seems that Gaidamak had been introduced to Leviev in 1999 by Dani (Danny) Yatom, the former head of the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad. . .
In a January 2000 statement to the stock exchange, Africa Israel allegedly stated that Gaidamak 'owns numerous real-estate properties in Western Europe and several other businesses in infrastructure, investment properties, and energy.'
The statement went on, 'Mr Leviev's decision to sell some of the company shares to international businessman Arkardy Gaydamak (sic) was made in view of his relative advantages, which can bring added value to the realisation of the company's business aims. Leviev believes that the company can reach international achievements in energy, real estate and investment assets following the partnership with Gaidamak.'
After only a few months, the Angolan Government announced that it was awarding exclusivity on the sale of the country's diamonds to Leviev's company. It is not known what role, if any, Gaidamak might have played in delivering control over Angola's diamond production to Leviev. ..
Since this first announcement, the relationship between Gaidamak and Leviev appears to have grown to other business sectors, including fertiliser and uranium production in Khazakstan, with possible further ventures into gold production.Of particular note is the acquisition of the chemical treatment complex of Tselina, known as Kazsabton, which was allegedly one of the key companies in the production of nuclear weapons in the Soviet Union.
Given reports that Gaidamak sold his stake in Africa-Israel back to Leviev, it is not known whether he continues to retain the apparent Leviev/Gaidamak joint investments in Khazakstan in his portfolio.
One key question: Why has Israel not acted on Gaidamak's arrest warrant?
Extradition agreements aside, there are two possible reasons for this situation. Either Israel is simply not honouring its obligations as a member of Interpol, a clearly unacceptable situation, or the serving of the arrest warrant has been delayed - rather extensively, it would seem.
Delays often occur due to the fact that international arrest warrants are usually served through diplomatic channels. The current scenario is obviously unworkable and allows for the horse to bolt prior to shutting the stable door, and especially in light of the events of 11th September 2001, such a process seems totally unsuitable for the task at hand and must be reformed. . .
http://www.globalwitness.org/text/downloads/atpm.doc
Lev Leviev's associate, Arkadi Gaydamak is tied in with the man who was just busted for fixing the Olympics:
" Six years have passed since Gaydamak opened accounts in the Paris branch of Barclay's Bank for Alimzhan Tokhtakhunov, also known as Tayvanchik [the Taiwanese], and at his own expense remodeled Tokhtakhunov's luxurious apartment in the most bourgeois section of Paris.
http://www.diamondstudies.com/docs/camarb2.pdf
Well, I know what I would do, if my loved one who is a friend of Mr. Leviev, should get sprayed with slop from the same bucket. I'm just waiting for my loved one's name to be mentioned by you-know-who.
Did you know Lev Leviev is listed along with Marc Rich and Gary Winnick as major supporters of "Birthright Israel?"
The fact is, though, you’ve been editorializing on Leviv and many others speculating that they fixed the Olympics in a multitude of posts. I just noted your comments in a few below.
Look at your search, you’re googling for “Lev Leviev and Mafia”
You were looking for dirt, which in itself is fine. But it seems to me based on your many inferences of criminality, and accusations of “covering up” against a freeper or two, it’s time for you to put up or shut up so some of these people can go to jail?
And these are comments, lied, not “reporting”.
Italy holds al-Qaeda arms trade suspect
Posted by LarryLied to Alouette
On News/Activism Aug 5 12:07 PM #6 of 16
Arkadi Gaydamak and Lev Leviev busted DeBeer's cartel. That is the key here. Btw...Gaydamak is tied to the guy who fixed the Olympics , Marc Rich and Danny Yatom, Barak's Mossad chief.
Interesting how Lev Leviev knew who was selling diamonds to some nasty people and did nothing about it but invited the smugglers into his business (ASCorp).
More details here:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/727319/posts
……………. Angola, UNITA rebels declare war over
Posted by LarryLied to jalisco555; csvset; mafree
On News/Activism Aug 3 11:00 AM #3 of 4
>b>Meet the new boss, same as the old boss. Arcadi Gaydamak and Lev Leviev are the winners, not Angola. On to the next African country to loot!
………………….
Skating results may be tossed
Posted by LarryLied to liberallarry; vance; dennisw; veronica; BenF
On News/Activism Aug 4 4:26 PM #61 of 83
Yes, it is confusing. Much of the information is in French or Russian. The names change. "Y" for "i" is common. Some change their names entirely. In 1998, Gaidamak (Gaydamak) legally changed his name in Israel to Arye Barlev. In addition, many of the files are in PDF or DOC. Working on one right now I'll have up later tonight. It should make things more clear.
Lev Leviev is fascinating. The first person I know of to break the DeBeers cartel. He went from having nothing to doing over a billion a year in diamond sales. You'll never guess what he bought with some of that money.
He (and maybe Gaymakad) own Kazsabton--once one of the USSR's key producers of atomic bombs.
Not bad for a penniless immigrant who landed on the shores of Tel Aviv 3 decades ago, is it?
…………………………
All Muslims Wonder-What is Sacrosanct About The American Israeli Passion (Crunchy Frog Alert
Posted by LarryLied to BenF
On News/Activism Aug 4 1:38 AM #46 of 49
Believe it? I despise corruption. Absolutely hate it. It is the death of liberty. Socialism is by definition corrupt. That is where my gripe lies. Check out this and tell me things are just fine in Israel.
The guy who fixed the Olympics is tied to Barak, Marc Rich, Gaydamak, Danny Yatom and Lev Leviev.
………………….
Skating results may be tossed
Posted by LarryLied to JMJ333
On News/Activism Aug 3 11:18 PM #13 of 83
The guy who fixed the Olympics is tied to Gaydamak. Gaydamak was a 15% owner of Africa Israel, a company owned by Lev Leviev. Lev is the biggest diamond dealer in Israel, owns shopping malls, hotel chains and over 1,000 gas stations in the USA. The Mossad chief under Barak introduced Gaydamak and Leview to each other.
Then Gaydamak set up Alimzhan Tokhtakhounov (the Olympic fixer) with bank accounts in Paris. Even furnished his apartment.
There is an arrest warrent out for Gaydamak. He illegally sold over $500 million worth of Russian weapons to Angola and other countries in Africa.
After Gaydamak and Leviev became partners, Leviev, to the surprise of everyone in the business, was awarded a monopoly on Angolan diamonds.
Russians seem pleased this might be the hook needed to bust the mob open. Difficult to get people interested when aluminum refining,commodity trades, arms, a confusing situation in Africa and Russian/Israelis are the nexus. But everyone pays attention to sports.
You might check out Tass, Pravada and others. Every night they have something new. Please ping me if you find something interesting.
Wonder if the guy busted in Italy is connected to Hezbollah. The main Muslim diamond dealer in West Africa was a member.
They donated to Hillel? I’m shocked.
I know you hate Jews, but do you intend to attempt to portray Hillel as part of a criminal conspiracy? You sink to new lows.
.................
AM, if I want to start a thread about Mafioso who have contributed to Catholic charities or the Catholic Church, may I? This seem to be a area of interest on FR. What topic do I put it under.
No one on any of these threads has disputed any of these facts. Or tried to find more. That speaks for itself.
Article above mentions Belgium, but I think the big laundering place for Qaida jewels is Switzerland, as you showed in a previous post.
This guy Sanjivan may not even be "muslim", and could be a gun runner little related at all to Islamist terrorism. The caught in "Milan" angle may not be much of one at all, just a circumstance.
Also, if I had a website I would not allow you to post there. You post lies and innuendo. But I am forced to share this place with the likes of you. In spite of that, I am not guilty of the sort of innuendo and game playing you are, just because you post at the same site.
You mean Hillel isn't a criminal organization? You'd be associated with it? Me too.
Larry does bring the place down into the sludge, doesn't he.
Gee, Lev Leviev donated to the same charity as Marc Rich and Gary Winnick (and about a million other people)! The way you are dropping names like confetti, to imply "guilt by association" it is only a matter of time before you will make libels against Alouette's immediate family member who is Mr. Leviev's close friend and associate. It's one thing to make unfounded accusations against people who are far away, but it is quite another to slander someone to his face, or much worse, to his mother's face. Are you sure you want to go there?
Pulitzer Prize Winners Teach Hillel Students
"More than 30 Jewish student journalists from across the United States studied with Pulitzer Prize-winners Charles Krauthammer and Glenn Frankel, the editor of The Washington Post Magazine, as well as editors of leading American Jewish publications as part of the Journalism Track of the 2001 Charlotte and Jack J. Spitzer B'nai B'rith Hillel Forum on Public Policy.
The young people, from a variety of schools across the United States, confronted some of the toughest ethical dilemmas of their profession: Can journalists put aside their Jewish identity when covering a news story, especially one that reflects poorly on the Jewish community? How do reporters reconcile Judaism's prohibition of gossip with the demands of their work?"
Well I guess Charles Krauthammer, Conservative writer and icon, is "one of them" too.
I wonder if he ever did a column on the Olympics. ;)
Most likely. The Swiss "officially" export almost no diamond rough. But they have a free trade zone where diamonds can move from country to country without being tracked. In other words, a laundry. Israel, Belgium and the UK buy much of their rough from Switzerland.
Free Republic never ceases to amaze with the amount of information, knowledge, and contacts that people have. I have never bothered to study and of Larry's postings. This picqued my interst though as he has attacked someone that Alouette knows.
So Larry, what is your allegation about Lev Leviev, and what is your source?
Tell me what is unfounded and/or slanderous. The UN Security report which states Lev Leviev was in business with a person wanted for felonies?
I was unaware that so many people think it is OK to take money from a thief such as Marc Rich or to be associated with an organization he funds. That concept is alien to me.Leon Wieseltier agrees with me on this but I guess we are in a minority:
A UN report should be accepted as at face value as absolute and undeniable fact? Are you out of your mind?
Do you have evidence that Mr. Leviev is a felon? Do you have proof that he has committed a crime? Or are you just smearing him (and my family, and myself) by innuendo and "guilt by association"?
For someone who claims to so abhor the techniques of the KGB and the Stalinists, you get a lot of mileage out of their methods. In a civilized and free society, individuals are held responsible for their own crimes, not the crimes of others. Ever hear of the concept "innocent until proven guilty"?
You are requested to CEASE AND DESIST.
"69. . . a whole network of Israelis was established, including Mr. Gertler in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lev Leviev in Angola and Shmuel Shnitzer in Sierra Leone. In all three cases, the pattern is the same. Conflict diamonds are exchanged for money, weapons and military training. These diamonds are then transported to Tel Aviv by former Israeli Air Force pilots, whose numbers have significantly increased both in UNITA-held territory in Angola and in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In Israel, these diamonds are then cut and sold at the Ramat Gan Diamond Centre."
http://www.congojeunesse.com/report3.html
If you distrust that website, mix and match a search on: Lev Leviev, Russia, Gaidamak, Gaydamak, diamonds, weapons, Falcone,Angola, Africa Israel,ASCorp,blood diamonds. You will find the report elsewhere (usually as a PDF or DOC download). Lots of other information out there on the connections between Gaydamak and Leviev.
mafree...the UN report above suggests low level warfare in Africa maintained solely because it is in the economic interest of some very powerful and rich outsiders to have conflict.
Btw...DeBeers is involved in coltan. Checking to see if Leviev is too. Only three companies in the world process it. The one in the USA won't handle "blood coltan' but the one in Marc Rich's favor place, the former Soviet Union, does.
"RAMAT GAN, ISRAEL -Reports that illicit diamond sales bolstered the fortunes of Osama bin Laden and the Al Qaeda terrorist network have heightened already intense scrutiny of the diamond trade. Even before these revelations, the issue of "blood" or "conflict diamonds" - gems sold to fund wars in Africa - were the subject of United Nations inquiries and Congressional reports. In November, spurred by the possible terrorist connection, the US House of Representatives passed a bill to throttle conflict-diamond trade.Inside Israel's diamond trade: a family affairThere is widespread worry in the diamond community that the ensuing restrictions could stifle legitimate trade as well, but Schnitzer is seemingly unconcerned.
"It's nothing," he says, dismissing the furor with a wave. Yet it's an issue that touches his family.
His son Shmuel helps lead efforts by the Belgium-based World Diamond Council to cope with conflict diamonds and protect the industry. And the whiz-kid reputation of Schnitzer's grandson, Daniel Gertler, has been shadowed by stories of his willingness to spice diamond deals with military perks. . .
As vice-chairman of the World Diamond Council's committee on conflict diamonds and current president of Israel's diamond exchange, Shmuel Schnitzer is well acquainted with the issue. "We didn't volunteer for this," he says. "But we have to do the utmost to solve the problem."
Today, the exchange brings Israel $13 billion in imports and exports, and is the country's second-largest industry. Israel buys some 50 percent of the world's rough diamonds, two-thirds of which go to the US.
Rebel forces in Angola were selling $300 million a year in rough diamond. RUF rebels in Sierra Leone moved between $25 and $100 million a year. How likely is it some of those diamonds didn't go to the country which handles 50% of the uncut diamonds in the world?
Now you are being merely obnoxious.
MOSCOW -- Anti-Semitism in Russia is on the wane, and synagogues, Hebrew schools and Jewish community centers are sprouting up again in scores of small towns and villages, said officials at the largest congress of Jewish communities in the country since before the 1917 Revolution.
The two-day Congress of Jewish Communities of Russia, which ended Tuesday, was a chance to showcase what organizers called a remarkable renaissance of Jewish life. Berl Lazar, the chief rabbi of Russia, said local Jewish organizations finally are taking root and flourishing after having been suppressed during the 74 years of Communist rule that ended in 1991.
"It is impossible to count all the miracles that are happening," Lazar said. "Today we see Jewish schools, Jewish kindergartens, charity canteens, various cultural programs and lots of music and artistic groups in towns where Jewish life had not existed at all." Avraham Berkowitz, executive director of the Federation of Jewish Communities of the Commonwealth of Independent States--a reference to a post-Communist grouping of most former Soviet republics--said delegates from about 145 Jewish communities went to the congress. The number of officially registered communities serving the country's estimated 1 million Jews has doubled in just the last two years, he said.
In addition to the 400 or so delegates at the congress held in the recently opened Moscow Jewish Community Center, Russian Culture Minister Mikhail Y. Shvydkoi and an envoy of President Vladimir V. Putin attended the meeting, along with representatives of the Muslim community and the Russian Orthodox Church.
In his opening speech, Lazar pointed to Putin's positive attitude toward Jewish life as one key factor helping to increase religious tolerance in Russia. Putin has undertaken a number of symbolic acts to show his backing for the Jewish community, such as lighting a national menorah last Hanukkah.
The improved atmosphere means that "thousands and thousands of Jews who didn't want to admit that they were Jews and who even made a secret of the fact now are proud to say, 'Yes, we are a part of the Jewish community, and we want to participate,' " Lazar said. "An organized Jewish life exists in Russia, and it's not a virtual thing anymore."
Lazar noted that unlike in the past, when Russian Jews who wished to practice their faith actively sought visas to move to the United States, Israel or Germany, many Jews now feel that they can remain comfortably in Russia. "Jews want to stay here and live like a community in any other country," he said.
Berkowitz said the number of Jews emigrating from the countries of the former Soviet Union had peaked in 1990 and stood at about 1,000 a month now.
Lev Leviev, chairman of the Federation of Jewish Communities, said it was a success for Russian Jews that Putin during his state visit to the United States this month went out of his way to make contact with American Jewish organizations.
Despite the improvements in the state's attitude toward Jewish life, there are still periodic hate crimes recorded, such as the desecration of Jewish cemeteries and places of worship. Officials at the congress also expressed concern about a spate of recent attacks by neo-Nazi skinheads against members of other minorities, particularly African students and immigrants from the Caucasus and Central Asian regions.
Zinovy Kogan, chairman of the Congress of Jewish Religious Communities and Organizations of Russia, said by telephone Tuesday that he would not exaggerate the decline in nationalist hatred.
"We are glad that Putin sent a message to the Congress of Jewish Communities gathering and that the government was represented there, but we would be even happier if those responsible for the recent pogroms [against other minorities] were brought to justice as soon as possible--so that people of all nationalities could feel safe in Moscow and in other towns."
Yakov Ryzhak of The Times' Moscow Bureau contributed to this report.
Belgium has an arrest warrent out for Victor Bout, Samih Ossailly and Sanjivan Ruprah. They are accused of providing arms to Al Qaeda in exchange for diamonds. In the same press release, Belgium, said it was immediatly opening an investigation of the activities of "Limo Diamonds" owned by Moshe Fisher and Israel Fisher.
Limo Diamonds is located in the RAMAT GAN diamond exchange in Tel Aviv.
Shnitzer and Gertler both of whom, the UN claims, trade arms for diamonds also are located in the RAMAT GAN diamond exchange in Tel Aviv.
Diplomat in Mideast With "Blood Diamond"Posted October 1, 2001
LIBERIAN ORBIT, Minneapolis
Sources in Monrovia say a female diplomat has left for the Middle East with a consignment of UN-banned "blood diamonds" for sale.
The lady, a cleric and relative of the Liberian leader, has been designated as ambassador to Israel. According to our Monrovia contact, who asked that the name of the lady be withheld for the moment, the pieces of diamond originate from Sierra Leone and are worth several hundred thousand dollars.
In May this year, the United Nations imposed a regime of sanctions on the government of Charles Taylor for what the Security Council described, among other offenses, as dealing in "blood diamonds." The expression is used to describe a criminal arrangement in which Taylor has supplied arms in exchange for diamonds with the Sierra Leone rebel RUF, which has waged a war of mayhem against the population in its quest for political power. The UN said due to the support given by Taylor, a co-founder of the RUF, the war and its atrocities continued in Sierra Leone.
The UN decision followed the report of a special panel of international investigators who established that Taylor was the mastermind in a global syndicate of blood diamond dealing and arms trafficking mostly from Eastern Europe to hot spots in Africa. The panel said the transporting of illegal arms was done by aircraft registered under the Liberian flag. Liberia, which is already under a UN arms embargo, often directed the arms shipment to Burkina Faso as a diversion before bringing the consignments to Liberia and then Sierra Leone and other places.
The UN banned all diamond exports from Liberia in addition to barring Liberian government officials and their immediate families from international travel, except for bona fide conferences for which approval must be obtained from the UN. Sources say Taylor has continued to receive diamonds from the RUF, but has found it difficult to market them particularly in global diamond centers like Belgium. He has therefore targeted places like Israel, a burgeoning diamond-cutting market.
Sources say the new Taylor plan therefore involved appointing a relative as ambassador, which would be a cover for the diamond trade. The lady is currently heading a religious delegation to Jerusalem, where she is expected to consolidate her contacts.
According to our contact, a long-time Taylor confidante and until recently chief of protocol at the Executive Mansion, Moussa Cissé, has also been in the midst of the diamond dealing. He carries ordinary passports under various names to elude the UN Sanctions, to undertake a number of external shady missions, including the sale of blood diamonds.
Several international organizations, including Global Witness, Nepenthes and Greenpeace have said the Liberian government has not stopped its dealing with the RUF, and that the UN should expand the export ban to include timber. The groups say Taylor's partner in the timber trade are also involved in diamond and arms trafficking. The International Sea Transport Workers' Federation, for its part, is lobbying owners of ships registered under the Liberian flag to reconsider their partnership with the Liberian government, due to what the Federation says is a link between the money generated in the maritime program, Taylor and the RUF. The Federation says it cannot ignore evidence that some of the $18 million paid by companies to fly the Liberian flag are arming "Taylor's murderous proxies," an apparent reference to the RUF.
A local human rights group, the Liberia Watch for Human Rights, earlier called on President Taylor "to expel foreign nationals" from his dreaded bodyguard squad, the Anti-Terrorist Unit (ATU), notorious for its acts of terror against civilians. The UN resolution also demanded the expulsion of all RUF militias from Liberia. In a statement published in Monrovia, the rights group said it was referring particularly to Sierra Leoneans who are "former or still active RUF (Revolutionary United Front) fighters." The group said expelling the foreign security men would be in compliance with the requirement of the United Nations.
Police in the Italian city of Milan recently broke an international arms-smuggling ring that also involved Charles Taylor. According to the July 8 edition of the Sunday Times in London, the Ukrainian-Russian organized crime group had been supplying weapons to the RUF rebels.
Police raided the home of Leonid Efirmovich Minin, an international arms dealer the newspaper identified as a confidante and business partner of Charles Taylor. Minin was cited in the report of the UN panel of experts as one of the key figures in the Taylor international arms trafficking arrangement. And until his arrest last week, Police sources said Minin was still at the heart of sanctions-busting operations. The Times reports that Minin and Taylor are also part of a large timber company, which the UN says is reaping huge sums of money for the men. (Minin has an Israeli passport)
In another development, British Foreign Office Minister Peter Hain in July said his government was aware that a former Russian KGB officer was supplying weapons to Liberia in violation of UN sanctions. The Russian, Victor Bout, was named in the UN panel of experts report as a Charles Taylor collaborator. The British described Bout as "the principal merchant of death in Africa," adding that one way to stop sanctions busting would be to stop Bout.
The government of President Putin in the Russian capital of Moscow invited UN sanction officials recently declared the active participation of the Eastern power in the international effort to implement the UN embargo on Liberia.
With the precious stones now finding their way to the Israel under the cover of diplomacy, Russia and other members of the UN Security Council will probably have to readjust their sanction monitoring mechanism accordingly.
The Orbit had indicated in several articles (West Africa's Bin Laden , Rebels Mine for Lebanese , Terror-Producing,) that Taylor was shedding crocodile tears over the September 1l tragedy, given his involvement as a central figure in international blood diamond and arms trafficking, with links in North Africa, the Middle East and Eastern Europe.The ORBIT has also disclosed the continued presence of Sierra Leone rebel fighters in Liberia, in violation of the UN Security Council imposed sanctions. From the following investigative and thorough piece published November 1, 2001, by the awards winning American newspaper, the Washington Post, Charles Taylor has indeed been part and parcel of illicit diamond activities of Osama Bin Laden's Al Qaeda terrorist network. In fact the Liberian capital of Monrovia has been the center of Al Qaeda diamond business agents, invited and nurtured by the Taylor regime.
The Liberian orbit makes two claims. Taylor is in the pocket of Al Qaeda and Taylor uses his diplomats to smuggle diamonds to Israel.
Apparently Mr. Lied thinks the UN is sacrocanct. LOL. Some "Conservative."
Alouette Mr. Lied is just blowing smoke. If I were you I would just let Mr. Leviev know about this and let him and his people take it from there.
The guilt by association game is an old Democrat trick, the Clintons and Gore used it against their enemies. The Democrats are still doing it against Bush. Mr. Lied is just rehearsing for a stint at the DNC.
Wealthy successful people are often the target of attacks by those shall we say who are not very successful, and have way to much time on their hands. :)))
Larry, perhaps you ought to refocus your attention on the ex trade or perhaps on money laundering before the hit comes down?
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