Hippo Bank?
Posted on 10/15/2001 7:53:16 AM PDT by joan
Edited on 09/03/2002 4:49:26 AM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]
ZENICA, Bosnia-Herzegovina
(Excerpt) Read more at seattletimes.nwsource.com ...
How long before we see an article such as this one detailing the Albania/KLA connections with terrorist cells?
That was reported years ago - November, 1998 if I'm correct - in USAToday. It would seem that no one has been paying intention.
Make that paying attention.
Of course when challenged they will kill the enemy...
I will bore the forum readers with two stories about Z-town. The first is Mr D's often recounted tale of his bus trip from Split to Zenica in December of 1996. It seems the (fairly) new CIA operator in Zenica was a friend of his and in quite a jam. The local Mujahadeen head had threatened to kill the Langley man and indeed had loosed off a couple of high calibre rounds through the man's sixth or seventh floor office windows.
Whether Mr D was there to help his friend get out of town or to check out the "secret" French intelligence centre in the small fenced compound by the bend of the river still remains a bit vague...
Then again, under Doctors Without Borders cover the French did try to kill him in Prishtina in December 1998. So who really knows?
However gun battles in the Balkans the last five years are a dime a dozen. What would be much more interesting would be if Mr D were to write what he knows about the Hippo Bank in Zenica. You see, it was here that the Clinton Administration channeled tens of millions of dollars to the Bosnian Muslims for illegal arms purchases.
Alas most of this money just disappeared -- poof -- as once again the US taxpayer was taken for a "Bosnian hay ride." Of course if you ever had the chance to visit the "Hippo Club" -- on the top floor of the bank, you could enjoy just about anything you wanted -- whiskey, women, drugs, anti-tank weapons, etc...
I would encourage those interested to research the Hippo Bank, for all I know all traces are now gone and it never really existed -- as so often happens with the black holes that dark funds are poured down. However if you can find out about it you will not have wasted your time...
They manufactured their own weapons in Zenica during the war. In fact the .357 S&W knockoff made there is a damn fine wheel gun for the revolver enthusiast.
When the new operators check in at the fourth floor office, overlooking the Iranian embassy in Sarajevo, South of the river, they are advised "Don't f*** around in Zenica."
The Agency has lost a couple of guys there the last few years. Rest assured it will be a thorn in the West's side for many years to come...
********
Bluester
Don't know where you will die, but the important thing is to keep speaking your mind. I don't always agree with you but I respect the fact you refuse to be bullied in this forum.
They will be jack booted thugs and they will come at night. Forces of the Slavic League, Islamic entente, or NATO I don't know -- but they will be masked and have no warrant. Probably a good deal will run through your mind in the last few moments of your life -- however, don't let regrets for not speaking out against tyranny be one of them...
********
Wraith
Thanks for the Kipling quote. It speaks volumes and is appreciated. I have little doubt the Third World War will destroy much of the world.
I wonder if the inhabitants of Europe, in the years before a third of them were killed by the Black Death, were as arrogant and foolish as the West is now? They have been lured into battle on unfavourable terms and each day become further splintered from moderate elements.
Sunni came home to her favourite room
The West is gambling that "Allah's Suitcase" does not exist. Such madness! This is not a game of Texas Hold-em, there is no fourth street here...
The Islamic entente grows exponentially stronger each day as the West levels Afghanistan. Meanwhile Americans are focused on a very questionable Anthrax scare, even as a flu season begins that will mask the real biological attack.
To truly be an objective observer, one must remove emotion from the equation. I understand hundreds of thousands of Americans now fly their flag when six weeks ago they could not tell how many red and white stripes one had. They are dazed and confused -- and cleverly being psychologically maneuvered to the edge of the abyss.
Dry is good and wind is better
In Baghdad they celebrate victory after victory...
Sunni came home with a vengeance
The forces of freedom on the move. Europe trembles.
Thanks, nikola, that's pretty much the question I had. And of course, there is that Albanian/muslim/kosovo drug trade....
In the first quarter of 1998, two banks wer established ie. Invesment Bank of Federation BiH Sarajevo
and Kredit Scweizer Bank Sarajevo. However, the Euro Capital Bank Sarajevo and Hippo Bank Zenica
ceased their operations.
Economic Data for Bosnia and Herzegovina, 1996
And here I thought Zenica was an English pharmaceutical conglomerate.
You know this guy?
Faruk Licina (Bosnian Muslim)
CEO
HIPPO BANKA DD
ZENICA
Financial services
How about this guy:
|
Name of the Bank |
Contact Person |
Address |
Phone/Fax |
|
|
HIPPO Banka |
Sead Arapcic |
HIPPO Banka Zenica, filijala Lukavac Ul. 13. Septembra 75 300 Lukavac |
075 572 781 |
|
I'll let somebody else translate this but it looks like there were at least 3 different people in charge of this Hippo bank:
Za Arnauta je zanimljivo da je proglasen menadzerom godine, kao i Smajo Zupcevic, direktor Hippo banke, koji je nakon toga proveo duze vrijeme u zatvoru. Prica se da je Arnaut uzimao po pet-sest hiljada maraka da bi nekom omogucio useljenje u poslovne prostore "Zmajevca". Uzimao, a nije dijelio sa drugima, i smijenjen je.
The above text is from: KO VLADA ZENICOM?
Which is in this magazine: 
There's an article about Afghanistan on the front page of this magazine if someone can translate, perhaps we'd get the Bosnian perspective.
You are accurate as usual. Looks like the US taxpayer got looted for at least a million on this sink hole. Hope you got so smoke some fine cigars while visiting the "Hippo Club".
The following is from the URL in post # 11
Since late 1996, Hippo Banka and its borrowers were visited repeatedly by Business Finance and
USAID staff and auditors concerning delayed disbursements and borrower performance. Between
June and August of 1997, concerns mounted and the Federation Banking Agency (FBA) of the
Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina became involved. Subsequently, Business Finance reviewed the
bank’s BRFF loan documentation and found numerous problems and irregularities. Consequently,
Business Finance removed Hippo Banka from the BRFF program and demanded that all undisbursed
loan proceeds be returned to the Government of Bosnia-Herzegovina. Hippo Banka returned a small
portion of the proceeds. USAID requested the FBA to take control of the situation in order to
salvage resources and protect the credibility of the program. The FBA proceeded to perform a bank
examination. Technical assistance on this examination with its unique requirements was provided
by the Barents Group, banking advisors to the FBA.
The FBA report was quite thorough with regards to possible criminal activities. Criminal reports
have been filed on eight insiders with more possible as the investigation is ongoing. As of January
1998, Business Finance had determined that Hippo Banka had failed to disburse almost DM 1.3
million (over $700,000) to borrowers for approved loans. These funds should be returned by Hippo
to the Government of Bosnia-Herzegovina so that the funds can be used again in the BRFF program.
The full extent of losses resulting from Hippo’s actions cannot be determined until the matter is fully
investigated and prosecuted by the appropriate Bosnia-Herzegovina authorities and courts.
Fusion, in addition to your lovely poetry on the other thread, this is the second time you've mentioned a "Third World War". Now I have always commended you on your predictive accuracy. Not 100% and sometimes things move more slowly (i.e. Macedonia) but you tend to have some skill at reading the crystal ball.
I'm just curious if your thoughts on this military action being taken by the US and its eventual expansion is shared by your associates, the Correspondent, the Congressman, etc, etc. These friends of yours seem to have good insight into US Military activity around the world. Do they share your premonitions that this war will degrade into an all-out war between the West and Muslim nations?
If so, who's side will you be on? Your portrait of Americans who need Martha Stewart to teach them how to fly the US flag is unfortunately on target. You understand then that Americans are extremely ignorant of politics in their own country much less what happens anywhere else in the world. Why is bin Laden and his ilk intent on dragging these people into such a future conflagration?
Finally, in your interpretation of the thoughts of Muslims worldwide, which US President has done the more harm to US/Arab relations? Ronald Reagan and his attack on Libya? George HW Bush and the gulf war? Bill Clinton and his photo-op foreign policy with respect to Israel/Palestine and his weak responses to US aimed terrorism? Or is GW Bush going to top them all with this war against terrorism?
And given the proclivity towards conspiracy theories in the Arab/Muslim world, how much of what is believed as true in the Muslim world is in fact false?
Sorry for all the questions but you have peaked my interest.
You also might want to check out this thread:
Russian Troops Kill 20 Rebels "Among those killed was Ali Demayev, a Chechen brigadier general"
Too bad I don't like most of your views...
Your questions are more linear than the fashion I normally pursue in seeking answers. But they are good questions that have given me pause for thought and I will try to think about them some...
What do the legendary "handfull of America's best" think about this new war? They are cynical at best...
The Colonel began his military career in the 1960's and fought for Mr Nixon in Cambodia during the early 1970's -- before becoming America's insurgent expert supreme. He is focused, and has been for many years, on destabilising Macedonia and liberating the Tetovo Republic.
During the Kosovo War he worked for MPRI in Sarajevo, planning the coming Macedonian campaign. He didn't give a damn about that war except as it related to liberating Kosovo to serve as the base for the fight two years later. As mentioned he stays focused...
He believes the US will be beaten -- unless the nuclear option is aggressively used and America is willing to sustain another thirty or forty thousand dead in the homeland.
The Congressman has long thought there would be a major war between the US and China. He favours the current approach because he realizes that by design or bad luck it offers the best chance to engage China and win -- before they draw even with US military power about 2015.
The Hawk has been in Albania lately laying logistical groundwork for US operators to go there and kill Islamic entente cell members. He is just trying to stay alive now.
The Correspondent's views are probably closest to mine. With the Tetovo Republic for all intents and puposes liberated he is concerned about Chechnya.
His views are that the Chechens wil eventually win because they will never quit and the Russians cannot kill them all. He feels it is imperative the victorious Chechens be aligned with the US and not the Islamic entente when the final battle is fought. He thinks the war could go either way...
I am not qualified to remark on which US President has hurt US-Arab relations the most but I doubt it was Bill Clinton. Although Iranians are not Arabs, I would remind readers that very early on the morning of October 19, 1987 (Stocks collapse), that Ronald Reagan bombed Iranian facilities in the gulf. This is seldom mentioned anymore...
I mention this because it is October again and the ordnance is flying.
Currently the US is pounding Afghanistan with an Elephant gun while being killed by the mosquito. This Anthrax assault is brilliant because it puts the US on the receiving end of a "Stretch and break" attack.
If Islamic entente forces can continue to increase Anthrax "incidents" (false or otherwise) at an exponential level they will collapse the ability of US law enforcement and emergency response units to maintain effective cohesion. This will be a huge victory for them.
Every office building that receives suspicious mail is now being evacuated. This puts tremendous strain on first responders and testing facilities -- while panicking workers and decreasing economic efficiency. This ball is rolling and picking up momentum...
A far cry from the first "isolated" case...
The Islamic entente has now made the US vulnerable to a weapon that consists of an envelope, First Class stamp, and some white powder. Can a cell put out twenty or thirty of these every day without drawing suspicion?
Sure they can. Can five cells put out a hundred every day...?
By targeting the media the Islamic entente gains maximum exposure, possibly picking up copy cat attacks along the way -- and continuing to increase pressure until the system fails.
Having the perimeter defence system fail is the initial goal of any preliminary attack -- whether it be versus Taliban air-defences or American law enforcement (Homeland Defence). Once the primary defence has been crushed, the main attack can come unhindered...
And make no mistake about it -- the main attack has yet to be launched. The Islamic entente cannot kill all Americans, but they can seek to collapse the US economy and financial infrastructure while America exhausts itself militarily in Afghanistan.
How many Muslim conspiracy theories are true? Like any such, more than you would think -- but the primary ones are without merit. Israel had nothing to do with the 911 atttacks, to think so is not to be realistic.
However it is an excellent device to fire up the people, just as the US does with their propaganda machine designed to keep American support strong at home. Keep in mind that Israel assassinates her enemies every week, yet the US media is very slow to descibe these acts as state sponsored murder. From this lack of balance comes the environment that such conspiracy theories can flourish.
However that is not the concern here. I know nothing of the Middle east...
The US has been a strong supporter of the Kosovo Liberation Army -- all Albanians hope the US wins this war. However I cannot get too excited about the US war versus the Taliban. The Taliban did not destroy the World Trade Center Towers...
And besides the US cannot win this war in the Afghanistan theatre, they can only lose it there...
The US will have to destroy Iraq to know victory. Unfortunately the political will does not exist in America to do this. The failures of Bush Sr and Secretary Powell to get the job done in 1991 must now be addressed. Alas it will be America and Britain going it alone this time and they do not have sufficient strength to launch another Desert Storm...
...Unless they are willing to lose ten thousand soldiers to do so and have their military power exhausted beyond what they will feel comfortable with in defending their homelands...
The American military has been lured (With Russian encouragement) into fighting a war in Afghanistan -- the most inhospitable and difficult terrain on earth. This is a collossal blunder unless, like the Germans at the Masurian Lakes, the Allies can wheel and destroy Iraq in a continuous and fluid campaign.
Perhaps this is the plan. Hopefully so, but no American general is a von Hindenburg. Hussein is not Samsonov.
The Islamic entente will seek to collapse the Pakistani government at the moment the American forces are most exposed. The shock of this coup will halt US offensive operations in Afghanistan -- extending operational plans into the winter phases -- and serve to rally pro bin Laden forces around the world. The Central Asian chain reaction should escalate through the region and spark a number of smaller brush fire skirmishes.
Meanwhile London and Washington will increasingly be isolated from what were the moderate elements in the Arab world. When "Allah's Suitcase" is opened it will be timed to bring down the West.
Meanwhile the Colonel, the Congressman, and the Correspondent continue to destroy Macedonia with the KLA/UCK cadres -- and prepare to topple the Greek government next year. When millions are killed in the Third World War, these guys won't get too excited -- that's the difference between an American operator and an Islamic entente martyr.
Alas, the old pros like the "handfull of America's best" are not running the show now in Washington. Too bad, because I would like America's chances a lot better with these guys involved. Instead the "experts" want to be touchy feely with Moscow and let Mr Putin keep taking a look under their skirts...
Mr Khrushchev said, " We will bury you..."
The forces of freedom on the move. Europe trembles.
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