N. Korea weapons transporters charged
Source: Agencies |
December 14, 2009, Monday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
FIVE foreigners who served as crew for an aircraft carrying about 35 tons of weapons originating in North Korea have been charged with illegal possession of arms in Thailand, police said yesterday.
The men - four from Kazakhstan and one from Belarus - were detained when an Ilyushin 76 transport plane, carrying explosives, rocket-propelled grenades and components for surface-to-air missiles, was impounded on Saturday during a refueling stop at Bangkok's Don Muang airport, Thai officials said.
Thai authorities took the action because of a United Nations resolution banning the transport of certain weapons from or to North Korea, the Foreign Ministry said.
Police Colonel Supisarn Pakdinarunart said the men denied the charges of the arms possession and were refused bail. They will appear in court today.
Air Force spokesman Captain Montol Suchookorn said the chartered cargo plane originated in North Korea's capital Pyongyang and requested to land at Don Muang airport to refuel.
Where to?
There were differing local media reports about the plane's destination with some saying it was headed to Sri Lanka and others saying Pakistan.
"I cannot disclose the destination of their plane because this involves national security. The government will provide more details on this," Supisarn said.
The UN imposed its latest sanctions on North Korea in June after the country conducted a nuclear test in May and also test-fired ballistic and other missiles.
The sanctions were aimed at derailing North Korea's nuclear weapons program, but they also banned the country's sale of any conventional arms.
Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman Thani Thongphakdi said Thailand made the seizure because of the UN resolution.
"Once further details have been finalized, and all the proper checks have been made we will report all details to the United Nations sanctions committee," he said.
Local press reports said Thai authorities were tipped off by their American counterparts about the cargo aboard the aircraft.
US Embassy spokesman Michael Turner said the embassy would not comment on the incident.
The men - four from Kazakhstan and one from Belarus - were detained when an Ilyushin 76 transport plane, carrying explosives, rocket-propelled grenades and components for surface-to-air missiles, was impounded on Saturday during a refueling stop at Bangkok's Don Muang airport, Thai officials said.
Thai authorities took the action because of a United Nations resolution banning the transport of certain weapons from or to North Korea, the Foreign Ministry said.
Police Colonel Supisarn Pakdinarunart said the men denied the charges of the arms possession and were refused bail. They will appear in court today.
Air Force spokesman Captain Montol Suchookorn said the chartered cargo plane originated in North Korea's capital Pyongyang and requested to land at Don Muang airport to refuel.
Where to?
There were differing local media reports about the plane's destination with some saying it was headed to Sri Lanka and others saying Pakistan.
"I cannot disclose the destination of their plane because this involves national security. The government will provide more details on this," Supisarn said.
The UN imposed its latest sanctions on North Korea in June after the country conducted a nuclear test in May and also test-fired ballistic and other missiles.
The sanctions were aimed at derailing North Korea's nuclear weapons program, but they also banned the country's sale of any conventional arms.
Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman Thani Thongphakdi said Thailand made the seizure because of the UN resolution.
"Once further details have been finalized, and all the proper checks have been made we will report all details to the United Nations sanctions committee," he said.
Local press reports said Thai authorities were tipped off by their American counterparts about the cargo aboard the aircraft.
US Embassy spokesman Michael Turner said the embassy would not comment on the incident.
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