INDEPENDENT NEWS

Cablegate: Blue Lantern Level 1: Pre-License End-Use Check

Published: Thu 1 Oct 2009 09:16 PM
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DE RUEHC #2524 2742136
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P R 012116Z OCT 09
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV PRIORITY 0000
INFO RUETIAA/DIRNSA FT GEORGE G MEADE MD
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RHMCSUU/FBI WASHINGTON DC 0000
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHINGTON DC 0000
UNCLAS STATE 102524
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
TEL AVIV FOR JASON GRUBB
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETTC KOMC IS
SUBJECT: BLUE LANTERN LEVEL 1: PRE-LICENSE END-USE CHECK
ON GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE GC1964-09
REF: 08 GUATEMALA 482
1. (U) This is an Action Request. See paragraph 4.
2. (U) The Department's Office of Defense Trade Controls
Compliance (PM/DTCC) requests Post's assistance in conducting
a pre-license check on authorization request GC1964-09 for
the retransfer of rifles from the Israeli Police to U.S.
company Century Arms. Post is requested to complete this
Blue Lantern check within 30 days. Lack of response to a
Blue Lantern check will affect pending and future licenses
involving parties to this license.
3. (SBU) Reason for Request: U.S. company Century Arms has
requested authorization for the retransfer of M1 carbines
from the Israeli Police for importation into the United
States. Century Arms submitted a letter from the Israeli
Police signed by Commander Anat Gat of Nitzav Mishneh stating
that the rifles were originally obtained via direct
commercial sales and not/not a U.S. military assistance
program. Another letter from the Israeli Police sign by
Commander Moti Yona indicates that Israeli company Contact
International (Kalia) won a public tender for these rifles
and subsequently took ownership. Presumably, Century Arms
will purchase the weapons from Contact International. Past
issues with Century Arms suggests that the company may use
unauthorized brokers to purchase firearms from foreign
military stocks (see REFTEL for example). Also, any
retransfer of U.S.-origin defense articles, whether acquired
commercially or via a military assistance program, requires
prior approval from the Department. This request is to
clarify the roles of the parties involved and the
circumstances under which these rifles were sold by the
Israeli Police.
4. (SBU) Action Request: Post is requested to establish the
bona fides of Israeli company Contact International (Kalia)
and obtain more information on these transactions by making
inquiries to representatives of the company and appropriate
authorities of the Government of Israel. The following
points are included for guidance:
(To Contact International)
--When was your company established and who are its
principals?
--What products and services does your company provide? Who
are your regular customers and where do they reside?
--How did you first learn of these M1 Carbines and the desire
of the Israeli Police to sell them?
--Describe your role in this transaction. What specific
services did you provide, if any?
--Describe the process through which you purchased these
rifles. Please provide any documentation of your bid and
your winning of the public tender.
--Has your company ever officially represented the interests
of Century Arms?
--According to letters from the Israel Police, your company
received 6,000 M1 Carbines. To whom will the other rifles be
sold? Did the Israeli government provide you with
documentation indicating that it had received re-transfer or
re-export authority from the United States?
--How did you first learn of Century Arms' desire to purchase
these rifles? What is the name of the Century Arms
representative with which you have been doing business? Were
you aware of Century Arms' desire to purchase these rifles
before you sought to purchase them from the Israeli Police?
Please provide any correspondence between your company and
representatives of Century Arms involving this transaction.
--How did Century Arms pay for these rifles (e.g. cash,
barter, etc.)? Did you receive any fees or commissions for
your services in this transaction?
--Are you familiar with the regulations governing the
brokering of U.S.-origin defense articles, including the
requirement for foreign brokers of U.S.-origin defense
articles to register with the U.S. Directorate of Defense
Trade Controls?
(To Israeli Police)
--How were these Carbines originally acquired by Israel?
Because different U.S. governmental authorities are involved,
can you confirm with documentation that these weapons were
acquired commercially?
--Any retransfer of U.S.-origin defense articles, whether
acquired commercially or via a military assistance program,
requires prior approval from the U.S. Department of State.
Did you seek authorization for the retransfer of these rifles
before selling them to Contact International? If so, please
provide any related documentation.
--Can you confirm that these M1 Carbines were legally sold to
Contact International (Kalia)? Please describe the process
by which you sold these rifles to Contact International
(Kalia).
--Have you had any correspondence with Century Arms regarding
these rifles? If so, please provide details on the nature of
these correspondence. Who is the representative of Century
Arms with which you corresponded? Please provide any
documentation you may have in this regard.
--Under what circumstances did you decide to sell these M1
carbines? Did you have a purchaser in mind when this
decision was made?
--What role did Contact International play in this
transaction? Were you ever under the impression that Contact
International was an official representative of Century Arms?
If so, please explain the circumstances that gave you this
impression.
--To your knowledge, did Contact International receive any
fees or commissions for its services in these transactions?
If so, please describe.
(To Israeli Import/Export and/or Law Enforcement Officials)
--Is Contact International properly registered and authorized
in Israel to export or broker defense articles?
In its reply, Post may also comment on any other information
pertinent to these transactions such as suspicion of concerns
about the entities involved.
5. (U) Details of license applications:
DTC Case: GC1964-09
QUANTITY/COMMODITY:
2,500 M1 Carbines, .30 Caliber
2,500 15-Round Magazines
License Value: Approx. USD $550,000
US APPLICANT:
Century Arms, Inc.
236 Bryce Blvd.
Georgia, VT 05454
c/o Mark Barnes & Associates
1350 Eye Street, NW
Suite 1255
Washington, DC 20005
SELLERS:
A.
Israeli Police
Head Quarters - Purchasing and Sales Department
41 Baalei Hamelaha Ramla
Israel
Tel: 972-8-9124450
B.
Contact International (Kalia)
Haruvit 23
98510 Mishor Adumim
Israel
Tel: None provided
PURPOSE:
For import into the United States and commercial resale.
6. (U) Submitted in support of the license application were
the following documents (PM/DTCC will fax documentation to
Posts upon request):
Letter issued by the Israel Police. Subject: Sale of M1
Carbine Rifles to Contact International (Kalia) Ltd. Signed
by Anat Gal (Head of Purchasing and Sales Department) dated
11 April 2007.
Letter issued by the Israel Police. Re: Sale of Carbine
Rifles. Signed by Anat Gal (Head of Purchasing and Sales
Department) dated 18 June 2007.
Letter issued by the Israel Police. Subject: Sale of M1
Carbine Rifles to Contact International (Kalia) Ltd. Signed
by Moti Yona (Head of Purchasing and Sales Department) dated
19 August 2009.
7. (U) Please slug reply for PM/DTCC - BLUE LANTERN
COORDINATOR and include the words "Blue Lantern" and the case
number in the subject line. POC is Kyle M. Ballard, Phone:
202-663-1929; Email: BallardKM@state.gov; SIPRNET:
BallardKM@state.sgov.gov. The Blue Lantern Guidebook (ref)
is available as a PDF file on Intellipedia:
http://www.intelink.gov/wiki/
Blue Lantern End-Use Monitoring Program
8. (U) Department is grateful for Post's assistance in this
matter.
CLINTON
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