Douglas Farah: How Does he Do It?

November 11, 2005


Well, my friends on the ground in Sarjah and elsewhere tell me that Viktor Bout's aircraft are back in action yet again in Iraq and Afghanistan, working for Americans.

Bout's company names change, but the aircraft remain the same. Some old Bout craft have reportedly moved back to Sarjah after having been taken out for a while. The Bout companies seem to be using Moldovan registrations again.

Anyone who does business with him or allows it to happen can and should face criminal charges. Of course, this administration has not been known to hold people accountable for their actions, and going after Bout's friends and protectors is probably not very high on many people's list. And yes, there were times when, with limited options available, using Bout may have been a necessary evil. But no longer.

It seems to me a small tip of the hat to humanity and common decency to cut of U.S. money to him. Apparently, there are many in the Pentagon and elsewhere who view that as too high a price to pay.

Douglas Farah: The UN Finally Takes Action Against Bout Associates and Companies

December 4, 2005


Well, after months of delay (mostly on the U.S. part in getting the information to them), the United Nations finally designated two business associates of Viktor Bout and 30 of his companies, obligating member states to freeze all assests related to the people and firms and banning their international travel. The full list can be found here.

The strength of the UN action is that it provides a legal basis for other nations to act against Bout and his companies. The UAE, for example, has not taken action against several Bout companies as requested by the United States because the companies were only designated by the Treasury Department. That is no longer the case. It remains to be seen if there is the political will to really take action against some of the designated companies like Irbiss that continue to fly openly out of Sarjah airport.

The weakness, of course, is that many of the designated companies are already shelved, and new companies have been established. The speed with which Bout is able to register and re-register aircraft under different company names is stunning. It is difficult to keep up with. The individuals may be harder to replace. Chichakli left the United States after his designation and continues to threaten to sue the U.S. Treasury and everyone else. Now he can add the UN to the list. However, truely blocking the assests and travel of designated individuals is something that has been far beyond the ken of most countries, even for those accused of terrorist activities. While the UN action is a small step in the right direction, it seems unlikely to really hurt Bout, Chichakli and the rest of those intent on staying in business and able to move through the cracks of the global enforcement system.

The Yorkshire Ranter: Operation Firedump

December 09, 2005


Earlier this week, the US Department of the Treasury's order to freeze the assets of a variety of Viktor Bout companies was extended to the entire world by the UN Security Council's sanctions committee. All assets belonging to the persons and organisations named in this list are now subject to confiscation anywhere in the world.

The list is, certainly, a little out of date. Several of the operating companies listed have ceased activity, and there is no mention of Phoenix Aviation, Jet Line International, or Aerocom among others.

It's time to find these aircraft and demand their seizure.

The list is currently as follows, correct as of today:


UN-76497, Ilyushin 76-D. Serial number 43402039. This is probably the aircraft referred to in the UN list with MoldTransavia, and is now with GST Aero, repeatedly referred to in UNSC Expert Panel reports. It was also involved in the events detailed here. The most recent photo is here.

SANTA CRUZ IMPERIAL

EL-AHO, Ilyushin 18D. Serial number 183006205.

EL-ASC, Antonov 12BP. Serial number 3340909.
EL-ASJ, Antonov 12BP. Serial number 402112 (doubtful)
EL-AHT, Antonov 26A. Serial number 6004 (doubtful)
EL-ALC, Antonov 26A. Serial number 87307104.
EL-ALT, Antonov 26A. Serial number 17311805.

No recent photos available.

IRBIS AIR COMPANY

UN-42428, Yakovlev 42D. Serial number 45204223046. Recent photo here.
(Leased to Sudan Airways, believed operating to Iraq)
UN-75002, Ilyushin 18D. Serial number 185008603. Recent photo here.
UN-75003, Ilyushin 18D. Serial number 184006903. Recent photo here.
UN-75004, Ilyushin 18D. Serial number 186009202. Not very recent photo here.
UN-75005, Ilyushin 18D. Serial number 187010204. Recent photo here.
UN-26582, Antonov 26B. Serial number 47313504. No photo since 2002.
(Leased to Ariana Afghan Airlines)

AIR BAS

3C-KKO, Antonov 12BP. Serial number 1901706 (No photos available)

GAMBIA NEW MILLENIUM

C5-GNM, Ilyushin 62M. Serial number 3036142. Recent photo here.

SAN AIR GENERAL TRADING

3C-QRF, BAC-111. Serial number 61. Not very recent photo here. (Operated for SAGT, owned Jetline International)

TRANS AVIATION GLOBAL

UN-B7201, Boeing 727. Serial number 22045. Recent photo here.
UN-B2707, Boeing 727F. Serial number 21861. No photos yet.
UN-B****, Boeing 727. Serial number 22046. Recent photo here.

If and when a plane is located, tell the world.
Demand its confiscation - try the civil aviation authority of the country in question

Douglas Farah: A Bad Start in Liberia of Johnson-Serlif

Jan 17, 2006


Snowe, who is on the U.N. and U.S. travel ban lists and asset seizure list, has been a financial lifeline to Taylor in exile in Nigeria. During the transition government he was managing director of the state-owned Liberian Petroleum Refining Company, from where he was able so siphon off a $1 per gallon hit to send to Taylor directly. His tenure was singled out by in a recent UN Panel of Experts report for “chronic corruption and incompetence.” Yet he is now one of the most powerful figures in Liberia, and can block just about anything Johnson-Sirleaf could try to do on the Taylor front. Of course, it is not yet clear what she plans to do.

Snowe will be aided and abetted by the presence of Jewel Taylor, the forrmer first lady, in the senate, where she and a group of others on the travel ban and asset freezing list now make their home. Among them is the notorious “General Peanut Butter” and other butchers.

So Liberia is faced again with what is likely to be a weak government, hamstrung by Taylor’s initiatives and access to corrupt gains, and the US still pretending to believe everything is on track. It is a recipie for disaster.

Douglas Farah: The UAE and Viktor Bout

Feb 23 2006


As the debate over the UAE ownership of ports heats up, it is worth looking at how the leaders there have handled another important security issue related to radical Islamic terrorism—Viktor Bout. The response is deeply troubling.

The United States, for the past EIGHT YEARS has been asking the UAE to crack down on Bout’s illicit activities there, with no results. The latest high-level U.S. delegation was in UAE last week, asking the rulers to please shut down IRBIS, as required by UN charter. The answer was that the rulers would continue to study the issue.

One of the reasons is that Bout has a partnership with a member of the UAE’s ruling family, a prince who ran an airline with him and has reportedly helped insure that Bout’s operations are untouchable.

Ports: All 'Bout a Dealer Named Bout


As for the Customs Service, it inspects as little as 5 percent of the cargo going through the New York ports. This is a dream setup for any arms or dope dealer, and that's exactly what the United Arab Emirates is all about. The ties between its top officials and royal family with the Taliban and Al Qaeda go back at least a decade. The UAE is not only the center of financial dealings in the Persian Gulf, it is switching central for dope and arms dealing. [---snip---]

Der Spiegel, the German magazine, said in early January 2002 that Vadim Rabinovich, an Israeli citizen of Ukrainian origin, along with the former director of the Ukrainian secret service and his son sold a consignment of 150 to 200 T-55 and T-62 tanks to the Taliban. Spiegel said the deal was conducted through the Pakistani secret service and uncovered by the Russian foreign intelligence service, SVR, in Kabul, the Afghan capital. A Western intelligence source told the Public Integrity Center that Rabinovich's weapons had been airlifted by one of Bout's airfreight companies from his base in the UAE. [---snip---]

Bout used various air cargo outfits. One of them was called Flying Dolphin, which in the early 2000s was owned by Sheikh Adbullah bin Zayed bin Saqr al Nayhan, a former UAE ambassador to the United States and member of the ruling family in Abu Dhabi. He was described by the United Nations as a "close business associate of Bout."

Connecting the dangerous dots on the port deal


In 1996, Bout sold 40 tons of weapons to the Taliban. In 2000, he delivered 150 to 200 Russian tanks. Bout's residence and office: the UAE. American officials knew all this. They approached the UAE, asking for tighter controls on money laundering and weapons. The UAE stalled, however. Even after the 9/11 attacks, Bout was openly operating in the UAE before escaping to Russia in 2002.

FTS: Operation Firedump

March 6, 2006


Folks this is an action alert! The following refers to a joint blogosphere action to stop the worldwide business of arms merchant Viktor Bout.

Originally posted by Hellmutt
Further up on this page you can see a post about Operation Firedump. Here is an action alert from Soj on Operation Firedump.

FTS: Operation Firedump

March 6, 2006

Folks this is an action alert! The following refers to a joint blogosphere action to stop the worldwide business of arms merchant Viktor Bout.

Click to read...

FTS:

Breaking - Operation Firedump Gets Results! (posted by Soj)

March 10, 2006


Folks I will update this later but just wanted to let you know that I just saw a piece on the news here in Romania about the airplane 3C-QRF which is parked in Baneasa in the capital. It looks like our project is getting some results!

When I get more I will post it. Just wanted to let you know the good news!