Rogue Planet

Pakistan bombers hit arms factory

At least 55 people have been killed in twin suicide bombings outside a munitions factory in the Pakistani town of Wah, police say.

The attack is the deadliest on a military site in Pakistan's history.

The bombs hit the city, 30km (18 miles) north of Islamabad, as workers left. Many people were injured.

A spokesman for the Pakistani Taleban said they had carried out the attacks, which he said were a response to army violence in the country's north-west.

Speaking to the BBC, Maulvi Umar of the Tehrik-e-Taleban Pakistan said the bombings in Wah were in retaliation for the deaths of "innocent women and children" in the tribal area of Bajaur.

He said more attacks would take place in Pakistan's major urban conurbations unless the army withdrew from the tribal areas.

Correspondents say Wah, in the province of Punjab, is a strategically important town normally under heavy security as it is home to a large industrial complex producing conventional arms and ammunition.

Local police chief Nasir Khan Durrani told the BBC: "Many others have been injured and we expect casualties to rise in the coming hours.

"At least 25 people have been critically injured."

Mr Durrani said none of the dead was military personnel.

Continue reading "Pakistan bombers hit arms factory" »

A man accused of buying 90 replica guns and converting them into live weapons told an arms dealer they were needed for a James Bond film, a court heard.

Grant Wilkinson, 34, used a fake name to buy replica Mac-10 submachine guns, Reading Crown Court was told on Friday.

He and co-defendant Gary Lewis, 38, are accused of converting the guns, which went on to be used in eight murders.

The firearms were linked with a total of 51 incidents, the prosecution say. Both defendants deny the charges.

Most of the incidents were in the Greater London area, with four in Birmingham and one in Manchester.

Guy Savage, a director at Sabre Defence Industries firearms dealership in Northolt, Middlesex, told the court that Wilkinson ordered guns worth £55,000 in July 2004.

"We had supplied identical guns to someone working on the film GoldenEye so it seemed a reasonable order.

Continue reading "Guns 'bought for James Bond film'" »

Associated Press 08.05.08, 10:16 AM ET

Russian arms sales are set to reach a new post-Soviet record this year, a top official said Tuesday.

Head of the Federal Service for Military and Technical Cooperation, Mikhail Dmitriyev, said that the nation's weapons exports will exceed $8 billion this year, Russian news agencies reported.

Russia's arms sales have grown at a quick pace, reaching a post-Soviet record of $7.5 billion last year.

According to the latest report by Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Russia accounted for a quarter of global arms sales in 2003-2007, coming a close second after the United States.

While China and India have been the leading customers, Russia recently also has struck big weapons deals with Venezuela, Algeria and Iran.

Dmitriyev on Tuesday confirmed that Russia completed the delivery of 24 Su-30 fighter jets to Venezuela.

But despite the steady increase in sales, Russia has suffered several recent, highly publicized failures in arms exports which were widely attributed to swelling production costs and general inefficiency of the nation's weapons industries.

Russia demanded a revision of the contract price in a deal to refurbish a Soviet-era aircraft carrier for the Indian Navy, and difficult talks with the disgruntled Indian officials are still ongoing. It also has failed to fulfill China's order for 38 Il-76 transport planes and Il-78 tankers, leading to the suspension of the deal.

Earlier this year Algeria also returned the MiG-29 fighter jets it bought from Russia, complaining of their poor quality.

Dmitriyev acknowledged Tuesday that the Russian military industries have struggled to fulfill the earlier contracts.

"At present, we have a queue of foreign customers waiting for military products, foremost air defense systems under earlier contracts," Dmitriyev said, according to the ITAR-Tass news agency.

[forbes.com]

By Christopher Thompson and Michael Peel in London
Published: August 1 2008 03:00 | Last updated: August 1 2008 03:00

BAE Systems, the British arms manufacturer under investigation in several countries for alleged bribery, paid at least £20m to a company linked to a Zimbabwean arms trader allied to President Robert Mugabe, documents seen by the Financial Times show.

John Bredenkamp, who has indefinite leave to remain in Britain, has had a controversial career ranging from supplying military equipment to the Zimbabwean military to mining in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

British properties owned by Mr Bredenkamp were raided by the Serious Fraud Office more than 18 months ago as part of a long-running investigation into BAE aircraft sales to South Africa. The payment of at least £20m is the first detailed evidence of a financial relationship between Mr Bredenkamp and the group.

The payments raise fresh questions about BAE's dealings with outside agents, intermediaries who sometimes act as brokers in arms deals. Agents have featured in investigations into whether BAE channelled bribes to foreign officials to win contracts.

Guns 'bought for James Bond film'

A man accused of buying 90 replica guns and converting them into live weapons told an arms dealer they were needed for a James Bond film, a court heard.

Grant Wilkinson, 34, used a fake name to buy replica Mac-10 submachine guns, Reading Crown Court was told on Friday.

He and co-defendant Gary Lewis, 38, are accused of converting the guns, which went on to be used in eight murders.

The firearms were linked with a total of 51 incidents, the prosecution say. Both defendants deny the charges.

Most of the incidents were in the Greater London area, with four in Birmingham and one in Manchester.

Guy Savage, a director at Sabre Defence Industries firearms dealership in Northolt, Middlesex, told the court that Wilkinson ordered guns worth £55,000 in July 2004.

"We had supplied identical guns to someone working on the film GoldenEye so it seemed a reasonable order.

Continue reading "Guns 'bought for James Bond film'" »

Associated Press 08.05.08, 10:16 AM ET

Russian arms sales are set to reach a new post-Soviet record this year, a top official said Tuesday.

Head of the Federal Service for Military and Technical Cooperation, Mikhail Dmitriyev, said that the nation's weapons exports will exceed $8 billion this year, Russian news agencies reported.

Russia's arms sales have grown at a quick pace, reaching a post-Soviet record of $7.5 billion last year.

According to the latest report by Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Russia accounted for a quarter of global arms sales in 2003-2007, coming a close second after the United States.

While China and India have been the leading customers, Russia recently also has struck big weapons deals with Venezuela, Algeria and Iran.

Dmitriyev on Tuesday confirmed that Russia completed the delivery of 24 Su-30 fighter jets to Venezuela.

But despite the steady increase in sales, Russia has suffered several recent, highly publicized failures in arms exports which were widely attributed to swelling production costs and general inefficiency of the nation's weapons industries.

Russia demanded a revision of the contract price in a deal to refurbish a Soviet-era aircraft carrier for the Indian Navy, and difficult talks with the disgruntled Indian officials are still ongoing. It also has failed to fulfill China's order for 38 Il-76 transport planes and Il-78 tankers, leading to the suspension of the deal.

Earlier this year Algeria also returned the MiG-29 fighter jets it bought from Russia, complaining of their poor quality.

Dmitriyev acknowledged Tuesday that the Russian military industries have struggled to fulfill the earlier contracts.

"At present, we have a queue of foreign customers waiting for military products, foremost air defense systems under earlier contracts," Dmitriyev said, according to the ITAR-Tass news agency.

[forbes.com]

By Christopher Thompson and Michael Peel in London
Published: August 1 2008 03:00 | Last updated: August 1 2008 03:00

BAE Systems, the British arms manufacturer under investigation in several countries for alleged bribery, paid at least £20m to a company linked to a Zimbabwean arms trader allied to President Robert Mugabe, documents seen by the Financial Times show.

John Bredenkamp, who has indefinite leave to remain in Britain, has had a controversial career ranging from supplying military equipment to the Zimbabwean military to mining in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

British properties owned by Mr Bredenkamp were raided by the Serious Fraud Office more than 18 months ago as part of a long-running investigation into BAE aircraft sales to South Africa. The payment of at least £20m is the first detailed evidence of a financial relationship between Mr Bredenkamp and the group.

The payments raise fresh questions about BAE's dealings with outside agents, intermediaries who sometimes act as brokers in arms deals. Agents have featured in investigations into whether BAE channelled bribes to foreign officials to win contracts.

Russian arms sales to set new record

Associated Press 08.05.08, 10:16 AM ET

Russian arms sales are set to reach a new post-Soviet record this year, a top official said Tuesday.

Head of the Federal Service for Military and Technical Cooperation, Mikhail Dmitriyev, said that the nation's weapons exports will exceed $8 billion this year, Russian news agencies reported.

Russia's arms sales have grown at a quick pace, reaching a post-Soviet record of $7.5 billion last year.

According to the latest report by Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Russia accounted for a quarter of global arms sales in 2003-2007, coming a close second after the United States.

While China and India have been the leading customers, Russia recently also has struck big weapons deals with Venezuela, Algeria and Iran.

Dmitriyev on Tuesday confirmed that Russia completed the delivery of 24 Su-30 fighter jets to Venezuela.

But despite the steady increase in sales, Russia has suffered several recent, highly publicized failures in arms exports which were widely attributed to swelling production costs and general inefficiency of the nation's weapons industries.

Russia demanded a revision of the contract price in a deal to refurbish a Soviet-era aircraft carrier for the Indian Navy, and difficult talks with the disgruntled Indian officials are still ongoing. It also has failed to fulfill China's order for 38 Il-76 transport planes and Il-78 tankers, leading to the suspension of the deal.

Earlier this year Algeria also returned the MiG-29 fighter jets it bought from Russia, complaining of their poor quality.

Dmitriyev acknowledged Tuesday that the Russian military industries have struggled to fulfill the earlier contracts.

"At present, we have a queue of foreign customers waiting for military products, foremost air defense systems under earlier contracts," Dmitriyev said, according to the ITAR-Tass news agency.

[forbes.com]

BAE linked to Zimbabwean arms dealer

By Christopher Thompson and Michael Peel in London
Published: August 1 2008 03:00 | Last updated: August 1 2008 03:00

BAE Systems, the British arms manufacturer under investigation in several countries for alleged bribery, paid at least £20m to a company linked to a Zimbabwean arms trader allied to President Robert Mugabe, documents seen by the Financial Times show.

John Bredenkamp, who has indefinite leave to remain in Britain, has had a controversial career ranging from supplying military equipment to the Zimbabwean military to mining in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

British properties owned by Mr Bredenkamp were raided by the Serious Fraud Office more than 18 months ago as part of a long-running investigation into BAE aircraft sales to South Africa. The payment of at least £20m is the first detailed evidence of a financial relationship between Mr Bredenkamp and the group.

The payments raise fresh questions about BAE's dealings with outside agents, intermediaries who sometimes act as brokers in arms deals. Agents have featured in investigations into whether BAE channelled bribes to foreign officials to win contracts.