Who is shipping them? Who is receiving them? Why will the shipment be allowed to proceed? "Italy reports seizing US-bound arms shipment," from AFP, with thanks to Kathy:
ROME, Italy (AFP) - Italian authorities seized a container full of weapons, including Kalashnikov assault rifles and plastic explosives bound for the United States from Saudi Arabia in May, press reports said yesterday.Il Mattino newspaper said that the "arsenal" was discovered during a search of a ship registered to an unnamed ex-Soviet republic, which was travelling from Saudi Arabia to the US east coast.
It was boarded by customs officials in the port of Gioia Tauro in the southern Calabria region. They discovered more than 70 AK-47 assault rifles, plastics used in explosives and launch pads for rockets, the daily said.
Without quoting its sources, the Ansa news agency later reported that "the shipment was permitted, but certain papers were missing from the accompanying documents".
It said that the container could continue its journey as soon as the identification documents had been validated.
An inquiry is under way with the participation of US secret services, Il Mattino said.
Too bad this was made public. It would have been interesting to see who claimed the shipment.
Why was the ship permitted to go on with that kind of cargo? Why didn't they call someone with sense?
We need to intercept the ship out in the ocean and inspect it ourselves.
Maybe it's time to stop ships coming in from muslim countries or at least have OUR own people inspecting as they're loading them. What could Saudi Arabia possibly be sending US from their country? (besides jihadists and weapons)
I would say this is not the only shipment that entered the US.
Does the US have ANY inspection of incoming cargo flights?
Where did the flight to and to whom? (Probably some innocent Muslim college professor type)
Why didn't the Italians make a phone call to us where we could have a welcome party for the plane.?
I guess weapons and explosives bound for the US from a Muslim country is not a concern of the Italians, (apparently not the US airport security either).
I say we stop shipping luxury items to Italy such as American soft fragrant toilet paper ( a luxury in Europe). Seriously we should lodge a stern complaint to the Italian government.
It seems the US cannot stop people from entering nor can the US stop weapons and explosives.
Every day it becomes clearer the Muslims in America are gearing for an all out Bagdad style assault. Soon ambushes and car bombs will appear in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and just about any large populated area. The Muslims have been using Bagdad as an on the job training site. People have been concerned about who goes to Bagdad, perhaps they should have been watching who leaves Bagdad..
Islam is a death cult.Deport Muslims NOW!!
Whoops, I meant ship, not plane. mea culpa.
Whoops, I meant ship, not plane. mea culpa.
So stupid. The Italians made this public then called the Secret Service, whom then told them to "let it go" in (hopefully not) a vain attempt to catch those who would recieve the goods. Now that this is public nobody will ever know. The good news. I'm sure the port where this ship was headed is having its workers and shifts checked out.
it seems the Italians had a brain freeze, perhaps that shipment was marked and the CIA were waiting to see who would claim it, that would my mostly likely reason. but what do you expect from a marxist government.
I've been thinking about this and I think the information was leaked by a dock worker, or someone in the Italian government whom had friends that got shot in Iraq by our soldiers at that checkpoint a while back.
I've been wondering why five or six muslims hsven't enetered a shopping mall and shot everyone in sight with the weapon that made Mr. Kalashnikov (in)famous.
The weapons haven't arrived yet.
The semi automatic only version is called AK-47S and they are plentiful. A real AK-47 is hard to get - in quantity that is.
A (semi-auto) AK-47S is no more lethal than a semi-auto M1A or Mini 14 for example.
Could somebody please tell me why the Italians had, as you call it, a complete brain freeze, as soon as the Italians stopped the ship and started asking awkward questions the people who were sending the guns, would know and realise that the game was up, they would also certainly have informed the American authorities also by making this public it gives the American authorities the right and reason to ask arkward qustion to the Saudi autorities . Also while I am about it why send guns to America, we have a saying in England its like sending coal to Newcastle.
This government is a shame for my country.Every day, they endanger our national security.
Holger Dansker, one cannot have too many guns.
Seriously, contrary to popular European mythology, it is not easy for ordinary Americans to legally own a fully automatic firearm. We are not all armed "to the teeth," just over half are.
I find this quite worrisome like the cell phones being bought in large quantities for their chips. It really is beginning to look like they're going for a major attack here in the States.
Dear Pelayo,
just half of you armed to the teeth, thank god for that, I wish we were over here in Europe I would sleep a hell of a lot better,
If any violence that come from the muslims happens in America, remember that Americans have their guns.
"If any violence that come from the muslims happens in America, remember that Americans have their guns."
and thats what makes this shipment so odd.
why bother, when you can buy weapons in a U.S. gun store?
if you wanted a few thousand AK47s , then you'd want to ship them - but only 70? why go to all that trouble?
From archduke: "...why bother, when you can buy weapons in a U.S. gun store?"
"...if you wanted a few thousand AK47s , then you'd want to ship them - but only 70? why go to all that trouble?"
Let me explain this one more time - Americans do not have access to fully automatic weapons - that is, machine guns or true assault weapons. Machine guns are not available in gun stores. The legal purchase of a fully automatic weapon requires finger printing, an FBI criminal history check and concurrence of the local city or county police. Furthermore a legally purchased machine gun is expensive, as in thousands of dollars.
A recently arrived terrorist will have to steal one from the police, a military armory, or an individual. Since the location of a legally owned assault weapon would not be known to everyone, it would be just as difficult smuggle 70 into the US as it would be to try to get one otherwise.
If terrorist would be satisfied with a semi-automatic weapon, they would steal some from one, two, or three gun stores. But the jihadists want the real thing. To clarify some terminology, I believe the the British use the term "self loading" instead of "semi-automatic."
Since an un-documented terrorist would have a tough time buying from a legitimate retailer, there would have to be a network of illegal suppliers - hence the smuggling.
Any questions???
Before I call the day over, for those of you who do not live in the US and think that buying a firearm is as easy as buying a pack of johnnies (I watch BBC Anerica) I will tell y'all what it takes to purchase a firearm legally where I live. This not typical of some northern US places like New York or Chicago.
The last firearm I purchased (four years ago) was a 1944 Russian Mosin-Nagant military rifle imported recently and legally. First the purchaser fills out a US government form stating name, residence, and answers a few questions as to criminal history. The purchaser shows proof of residence - driver's license for example. The selling clerk (clark?) will call on the phone and relay the information to the police who will then check the national criminal data base for any past felonies or other misdeeds that would prohibit ownership. After the purchaser has been cleared, the sale can be finalized and the buyer can walk out with the rifle or handgun. The buyer does not have to prove need or otherwise justify the purchase.
That is what happens where I live as I remember the transaction, and the laws vary from state to state. I mentioned New York and Chicago - there, buying a handgun is virtually impossible.
In the next class, I will explain how the "concealed carry" handgun laws work.
Absolutely none and for that you can thank your President, the Republican National Committee and a Republican Controlled Congress which overwhelmingly
approved turning our ports over to the Emirate of Oman.
A Democratic congresswoman has slammed a free trade agreement with the small Gulf nation of Oman moving through the US Congress.
BTW, that bill giving Dubai Ports (via Oman) control of our ports was passed by a majority of Republicans with virtually no Republican dissent.
Go Konservatives.
(K)Nariz: I am a Conservative and do not approve of many of the Bush Administration's policies. There are also non-conservatives who approve of some of their policies. Thus, the Bush administration and its policies --and approval or disapproval of them--do not automatically fall along ideological lines as you believe.
You furthermore fail to grasp that Bush and Co. do not necessarily represent 'conservatism' anyway. Thus you and your coy reamrks are patent nonsense--to put it politely.
The American left wing would put us in even more danger-with Kerry kissing-ass to mosques and imams who conspire to commit multiple homicides while playing US politicans for stooges (like him) etc.
Instead of playing games with supposed ideologues and ideology here's an idea: how about working with valid ideas instead of pigeon-holes and biases that lead nowhere???
How would you like us to call you, Knariz, Nariz? Or would that lead nowhere?
Your games are far better suited to Playstations than here.
Where was the US government in this anyway?? Does the FBI have any comments?
Hey Nariz,
Oakland is the nation's fourth-busiest port, behind Los Angeles, Long Beach and New York-New Jersey, and has several international companies operating at its nine terminals.
Among the companies operating in Oakland are the Japanese company Mitsui, which operates Berth 30, and the Korean company Hanjin, which operates berths 55 and 56, according to Jones.
See that? Korean. While it is owned by South Korea, it could have North Korean spies all throughout. And guess what, the deal took place during the Klinton Administration. The same Klinton administration that so catered to Korth Korean interests.
Looks like I need to load up on ammo....
I do foresee the Islamists staging some feable uprising attempt here in our homeland, but I also see the massive resistance they will face. The evil religion will be crushed, and the public in general will finally realize what Islam is about... death, destruction, and world domination. It won't be too late, and America will stand strong; and other nations will see how proud citizens should defend, and defeat the evil ones. Message to the Islamists.... bring it on Pigs.
Oh, and Nariz, one more thing...
Where were you when the Clinton administration sold 80 high-performance F16s to the United Arab Emirates in 2000? Where were you when the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force were then (as now) using sea- and airports of the United Arab Emirates managed and secured by Dubai Port World in a perfectly good and acceptable manner according to the U.S. Defense Department?
Does the Islamfascists think mom and pop beercan living downwind of a mosque would think twice of torching the place if Americans are attacked? Do they believe we'd all just lay down and cry about it, and return to warnings on CNN?
I think not. If the hate cult tries jihad in the US, every mosque in the nation will not stand more than 20 minutes. They deny the holocaust, well how about crystalnacht on those who harbor terrorists?
Gotham, I agree. Bring it on.
Watching Red Dawn a few more times, and it still makes me just as full of rage as it did then.
Douglas Farah http://www.douglasfarah.com/ has an article today describing the Muslim Brotherhood plan to buy up large amounts of land in Europe and the US. Land to remain in Muslim hands. So far tens of $millions in US real estate are in hands of fronts and holding companies with strings back to the MB. It is their 10 to 50 year plan to crowd all the infidels into the sea. Instead of armed jihad it is financial jihad with the same objective.
So again we have them using our laws to hamstring us for the feast (oops sorry muzzy readers, how about goatstring?)
I go back to my thesis. A formal declaration of war is necessary to take out the traitors and the subversives, close the CAIRs down and arrest their leaders, confiscate their property, destroy their mosques, inter them and deport them. With the liberals in Congress in the pockets of the Saudis, there is no way to get meaningful legislation to protect the country. A formal declaration of war would give the president the power to do what has to be done.
Perhaps it's a Cair package.
This story doesn't help to ease my suspicion that Bush is some sort of Saudi agent.
I'm in the UK so I can't do this but I think that people in the US, proper patriotic and concerned American citizens should start stocking up on weapons and anything else which may be of use in a Baghdad type of situation. I don't know about being sent to Iraq, it seems that Iraq may be coming to the US. I advise everyone should be prepared for every eventuality.