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2 Arrested With Infrared Cameras at LAX
Breitbart ^ | April5, 2008 | AP

Posted on 04/05/2008 2:11:52 PM PDT by RDTF

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Two men attempting to board a plane to China with nearly a dozen sensitive infrared cameras in their luggage were arrested on Saturday, a federal official said.

Federal agents stopped the pair on the jetway as they were preparing to board the flight to Beijing.

The men had been in the United States for about a week, said Rick Weir, assistant special agent in charge of the Los Angeles office of the Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security.

Yong Guo Zhi, a Chinese national, and Tah Wei Chao, a naturalized U.S. citizen, were arrested for investigation of trying to take thermal imaging cameras with potential military use to China without the proper export licenses, Weir said.

-snip-

Ten of the cameras, which measure about 2 inches square and cost about $5,000 each, were found in the men's checked luggage, Weir said. Salcido said it appeared they split the shipment up between them.

The cameras have both commercial and military uses but they are "very expensive, highly sensitive," Weir said. "They're not something you could buy off the shelf."

-snip-

(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; US: California
KEYWORDS: camera; cameras; captured; chao; china; chinesenationals; jihadinamerica; la; lax; losangeles; nationalsecurity; tahweichao; thermalimaging; yongguozhi; zhi
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1 posted on 04/05/2008 2:11:52 PM PDT by RDTF
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To: Cindy

interesting


2 posted on 04/05/2008 2:13:36 PM PDT by RDTF (my worst nightmare is being on jury duty sequestered with 11 liberals)
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To: RDTF

Those cameras were probably made in China in the first place.


3 posted on 04/05/2008 2:14:37 PM PDT by HAL9000 ("If someone who has access to the press says something over and over again, people believe it"- B.C.)
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To: HAL9000

Nope


4 posted on 04/05/2008 2:15:50 PM PDT by pissant (THE Conservative party: www.falconparty.com)
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To: RDTF

Anyone have links of photos of such cameras?


5 posted on 04/05/2008 2:16:24 PM PDT by montag813
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To: RDTF
"They're not something you could buy off the shelf."

So where do you get them? Did they steal them or buy them where they shouldn't be shopping?

6 posted on 04/05/2008 2:23:25 PM PDT by FreePaul
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To: HAL9000

Purchased at Bill Clinton INC.


7 posted on 04/05/2008 2:24:49 PM PDT by Dr. Ursus (( commander of the simian host))
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To: FreePaul
http://www.nationalinfrared.com/

http://www.flirthermography.com/cameras/all_cameras.asp


8 posted on 04/05/2008 2:33:53 PM PDT by UCANSEE2 (Just saying what 'they' won't.)
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To: FreePaul

How to turn your Digital Camera into an Infrared Camera.

http://geektechnique.org/index.php?id=254


9 posted on 04/05/2008 2:37:13 PM PDT by UCANSEE2 (Just saying what 'they' won't.)
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To: Dr. Ursus
Purchased at Bill Clinton INC.

I bet the clintoons didn't declare the sales commission on their taxes either.

10 posted on 04/05/2008 2:43:24 PM PDT by WesternPacific (I am tired of voting for the lesser of two evils!)
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To: RDTF

If these cameras are on the list of sensitive technology and are not approved for export,then fine arrest them.If not then this is just more BS.


11 posted on 04/05/2008 2:50:03 PM PDT by Farmer Dean (168 grains of instant conflict resolution)
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To: RDTF

Why arrest them? After all we allow Boeing to produce advanced composite parts for the 787 in China giving the Chinese practical knowledge of aircraft composites that will help their advanced fighter program.


12 posted on 04/05/2008 2:52:13 PM PDT by tokenatheist
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To: FreePaul

“So where do you get them?”

I’ll see if they are available at the next gun show.


13 posted on 04/05/2008 3:00:44 PM PDT by 353FMG (Vote for the Candidate who will do the least damage to our country.)
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To: FreePaul

Actually they are something you can buy off the shelf.

http://www.google.com/products?hl=en&safe=off&q=FLIR+infrared+camera&um=1&ie=UTF-8

They are not military products, but rather diagnostic tools but they still can’t be taken out of the country because they are covered under ITAR

Note the disclaimer.

FLIR PRODUCTS CAN NOT BE SOLD OUTSIDE THE US AND ITS TERRITORIES AND CAN NOT SHIP INTERNATIONALLY THROUGH A FREIGHT FORWARDER TO OVERSEAS APO OR FPO OR CANADA.

Most likely corporate espionage, take a few to reverse engineer, and begin marketing them for sale at lower prices. They can be made for a lot less than 5000 dollars.


14 posted on 04/05/2008 3:07:01 PM PDT by cmdjing
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To: cmdjing

Dear Santa,


15 posted on 04/05/2008 3:14:23 PM PDT by MaxMax (It's not the politics I despise, It's the politicians for being so stupid..)
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To: RDTF
Mmmmmmmm... infra-red!


16 posted on 04/05/2008 3:14:28 PM PDT by Revolting cat! ("I am like...Dude......do you really....like want the Sex?")
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To: RDTF

My God! You mean they actually caught someone?


17 posted on 04/05/2008 3:22:20 PM PDT by InABunkerUnderSF ("Gun Control" is not about the guns. "Illegal Immigration" is not about the immigration)
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To: RDTF

Always seems like a naturalized US citizen is involved in these Chinese espionage cases. I fear we are thoroughly infiltrated.


18 posted on 04/05/2008 3:24:04 PM PDT by LSUfan
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To: RDTF

infrared film has been available for years at your camera store. It works great on any decent SLR camera. Why the big deal?


19 posted on 04/05/2008 3:30:48 PM PDT by AGreatPer
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To: RDTF; Calpernia; Velveeta; LibertyRocks

Ping.


20 posted on 04/05/2008 3:38:00 PM PDT by nw_arizona_granny ( http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/1990507/posts?page=451 SURVIVAL, RECIPES, GARDENS, & INFO)
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