ZGRAM - 8/19/2002 - "Canadian counter-terrorism expert arrested in U.S."

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ZGram - Where Truth is Destiny

August 19, 2002

Good Morning from the Zundelsite:

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POSTED AT 9:23 PM EDT    Saturday, August 17

Canadian counter-terrorism expert arrested in U.S.
	  
Associated Press

Roswell, N.M. - U.S. government agents found more than 2,000 
anti-tank missiles worth $54-million (U.S.) when they raided the 
workplace of a Canadian counter-terrorism consultant, who was 
arrested, court records said.

The arrested man was identified as David Hudak, who heads HEAT, or 
High Energy Access Tools, an anti-terrorism and police training 
services company, said a criminal complaint filed in federal court 
Friday.

The complaint said agents discovered the missiles in 49 explosives 
crates, with each crate containing 48 missiles and each missile worth 
$23,040. For a total of 2,352 missiles, total value is $54-million.

Mr. Hudak was arrested Thursday by U.S. immigration agents at the 
company's training facility, the complaint said. He was charged with 
possessing missiles that were not registered to him in the U.S. 
National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.

Norm Cairns, spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office in Albuquerque, 
N.M., declined comment. He said the investigation was ongoing.

The criminal complaint states: "The warheads are designed as military 
weapons to be used to defeat light armoured vehicles and/or bunkers. 
The warheads are designed to be fired from shoulder-mounted infantry 
weapons. The official designation of this weapon is M141 Bunker 
Defeat Munition."

No launching devices for the missiles were found, the complaint said.

The complaint said Mr. Hudak is a Canadian national who was in the 
United States illegally.

A spokesman for the Foreign Affairs Department in Ottawa said he had 
no information about the case.

Agents of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms searched 
company facilities in Roswell and at Tinnie, about 72 kilometres west 
of Roswell, last Thursday.

Frank Fish, director of security for HEAT, said agents removed 
documents needed to verify whether any violations had occurred.

Mr. Fish said the agents were investigating a Technical Assistance 
Agreement licence tied to HEAT's permit to train U.S. allies to use 
equipment being exported to allied countries.

The company believed the licence had been obtained and proceeded 
under that impression, Mr. Fish said.

"We found out it wasn't done after a client came on board and we 
thought we filed for it somewhere between 14 weeks and three months 
ago," Mr. Fish said.

Fish said the company invited oversight agencies to inspect the 
Roswell and Tinnie sites because HEAT wanted to be sure it was 
compliant and some agents accepted the invitation to investigate.

"We've been open to every federal agency that could have anything to 
do with anything about what we do for a living, from the FBI, ATF, 
Department of State, everybody," Mr. Fish said.

"We contacted everybody, saying please come on down."

New Mexico U.S. Senator Pete Domenici has asked ATF to report on what 
has been done so far.

HEAT is a defence contractor and speciality training development 
company that sells "surgical breaching explosives," used usually in 
SWAT scenarios, among other things. The products require training for 
safe use, the company said.

The United States Munitions List defines which weapons and 
accessories need to be monitored by the government. All involved 
agencies have been told to refer all media questions to the U.S. 
attorney's office.

[END]

(Source: 
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/front/RTGAM/20020817/wmissl1708/Front/homeBN/breakingnews 
)