FROM HEAVEN TO EARTH
I WROTE ON 10TH MARCH 2011:
WE HAVE SAID AND WRITTEN MANY TIMES.
ON EARTH WEAPONS ARE SOLD LIKE DAILY BREAD.
A TRAGIC AND DRAMATIC TRUTH INVOLVING EVEN ITALY AS A WHOLE.
READ AND MEDITATE.
G.B.
ITALY-LIBYA ARMS DEAL
An Italian company?s sale of over 11,000 pistols and rifles to Libya in late 2009 has highlighted weaknesses in the EU?s arms control regime and the dangers of selling guns to difficult countries.
EUobserver and arms-control NGO Rete Italiana per il Disarmo have learned that on November 29, 2009 Italian company Fabbrica d?Armi Pietro Beretta quietly shipped ?7,936,900 of small arms from the port of La Spezia in Italy via Malta to Tripoli.The deal did not break any laws because there was no EU arms ban on Libya at the time. But for Rete Disarmo it underlines serious problems in the Italian and EU arms control structures.The 16.5 ton order was packed in four sealed containers and involved about 7,500 PX4 Storm pistols, 1,900 CX4 semi-automatic rifles and 1,800 shotguns. It was bought by the Gumhouria Bank in Tripoli and the purchasing department of Gaddafi?s General People?s Committee for General Security. It was shipped on a vessel called the Holandia with the help of UK-based Brointermed Lines, the Valetta-based shipping agent W.J. Parnis England and the Tripoli-based agent Germa Shipping & Stevedoring. Because Beretta marked the guns as non-military items, the permit was issued by the local authority in Brescia instead of by Rome. The Italian end-use certificate was issued on 10 June 2009, the very day of Gaddafi?s state visit to the Italian capital. The Libyan authorities confirmed receipt 10 long months after the guns crossed the Mediterranean Sea.The transaction only came to light because official EU figures mistakenly recorded the shipment as ?79,689,691 of Maltese-origin guns and Malta wanted to wash its hands of responsibility when the story hit the headlines. In another mistake, W.J. Parnis England this week wrote to the Maltese authorities to say sorry that it made a typing error in adding an extra zero to the value of the order. It is unclear how adding a zero to ?7,936,900 makes ?79,689,691.
Rete Disarmo director Francesco Vignarca said: ?Without the Maltese mistake we would not have had any clue of this shipment in the EU documents. And if the shipper puts down the wrong number (of the price) this is taken at face value by Malta and by the EU. This is very bad. We only know what is happening in the EU arms market on the basis of official reports. And if this is how the reporting is done, then how can we trust it?? He added: ?What kind of knowledge of the world does the local authority in Brescia have? What does it know about what is happening in Libya or Yemen? And how can the Italian government say the shipment went to the right hands if it got the Libyan confirmation (of receipt) only 10 months later?? ?If this is what is happening in the official and legal arms trade, I can only imagine what is happening in the illegal arms trade.?
With the EU saying that Gaddafi has killed up to 2,000 people in atrocious violence in Libya, the Beretta deal also shows the reputational risks to governments and companies which sell weapons to difficult countries. Beretta on February 24 wrote to EUobserver website to say it ?strongly denies and defines as unsubstantiated the news relative to a presumed supply of ?79 million of weapons from the company to the Libyan government through Malta.? It did not say that it sold ?7,936,900 of guns instead. The company?s official website says: ?Thanks to the courage, vision and skills of its lineage, its name has earned international status for its high-tech content, performance and for the Italian style that distinguishes its products.?
From: Teheran Times by Andrew Rettman
ATTACHED MESSAGES:
FROM HEAVEN TO EARTH
I WROTE ON 8TH DECEMBER, 2010:
WE HAVE ALREADY SAID AND WRITTEN THAT ON EARTH WEAPONS ARE SOLD LIKE DAILY BREAD (EUGENIO SIRAGUSA - 1981. GIORGIO BONGIOVANNI - 2009). ALSO ITALY IS PART OF THIS ANTICHRISTIC AND DESTRUCTIVE TRADE THAT CAUSES UNJUSTICE AND DEATH.
ITALY, WITH ITS TYRANT, SELFISH AND ILL-OMENED GOVERNMENT AND PREMIER.
THE PEOPLE, NOT ALL LUCKILY, ARE ACCOMPLICE AND PASSIVE, INCAPABLE TO REBEL TO THE GREATEST OF THE INJUSTICES AGAINST THE WEAK: THE SALE OF ARMS. IF THIS IS THE TRUTH, AND IT IS THE TRUTH, THEN GET READY! ALSO ITALY WILL NOT BE SPARED BY THE HARSH CONSEQUENCES BROUGHT BY THE CAUSE AND EFFECT LAW.
ALSO ITALY WILL BE SUBMITTED TO THE DIVINE JUSTICE.
AN INTERVENTION ON THIS TOPIC BY THE LEADER OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, BENEDICT XVI, WOULD BE APPROPRIATE. WILL HE DO IT? WE DO NOT THINK SO! SINCE THE VATICAN OWNS SHARES IN THE INDUSTRIES THAT PRODUCE WEAPONS.
IN FRONT OF THIS DRAMATIC SITUATION, IT COMES TO MY MIND THE RESISTANCE AGAINST THE BLOODY GERMAN DICTATOR (HITLER) AND HIS ITALIAN BUTLER (MUSSOLINI).
GOD HELP US.
GIORGIO BONGIOVANNI
Stigmatist
San Giovanni di Polcenigo (Italy)
8th December 2010.
I WROTE ON 28TH AUGUST 2009:
ONE OF OUR ?ALIEN? FRIENDS CALLED HOARA, MANY YEARS AGO, THROUGH ONE OF HIS MESSENGERS, EUGENIO SIRAGUSA, SAID ?ON EARTH YOU SELL WEAPONS JUST LIKE HOT DOGS?.
A RAW, BITTER AND SHAMEFUL TRUTH!
PLEASE DO READ THE ATTACHED ARTICLE WRITTEN BY COURAGEOUS AND PROFESSIONAL JOURNALISTS THAT PROVE, WITHOUT ANY DOUBT, THAT ITALY, WITH HIS GOVERNORS AND POWERFUL PEOPLE IS DEFINITELY TO CONSIDER A CERTAIN ANTI-CHRISTIC COUNTRY; MANY ITALIANS ARE GOOD AND SOME ARE JUST PEOPLE, YET THEY ARE NOT ENOUGH TO STOP THE BLOODY, DEVASTATING, WICKED THIRST FOR DEATH AFFECTING THE MIND OF ARMS TRADERS. THIS IS THE REAL POWER, THIS IS WHAT WILL BRING ITALY AND THE WHOLE WORLD TO SELF-DESTRUCTION, SINCE THE WHOLE WORLD IS INVOLVED IN THE DEATH MARKET WHICH CAUSES WEAPON SALES.
I AM NOT SURPRISED, BUT I AM DESPERATE AND THIRSTY FOR JUSTICE.
MY FAITH IN CHRIST TELLS ME TO RESIST AND THE CERTAINTY OF THE UNIVERSAL VALUES THAT BURN INSIDE MY HEART PUSH ME AND OTHERS TO CARRY ON FIGHTING.
IT WAS SAID: HAVE FAITH, DIVINE JUSTICE WILL NOT TAKE TOO LONG TO MANIFEST ITSELF.
I BELIEVE IN CHRIST. I LOVE AND SERVE HIM. YET I SAY AND PRAY ALOUD: LORD, LORD ADONAY, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR IN ORDER TO MANIFEST YOURSELF?
PLEASE SHORTEN THE TIMES, GOD, LORD, SHORTEN THE TIMES AND, I BEG YOU, SEND THE SAVIOUR, OTHERWISE NOT EVEN YOUR ELECT ONES SHALL SAVE THEMSELVES.
I, AS WELL AS OTHER PEOPLE WHO LOVE YOU ARE HERE WAITING FOR HIM, WITH THE HANDS FIRM ON THE PLOUGH.
FAITHFULLY
GIORGIO BONGIOVANNI
Stigmatist
Sant?Elpidio a Mare, (Italy)
28th August 2009
DEFENSE, THE NEVERENDING INVESTMENT
In order to buy new armaments, we will spend 3,5 billion Euros more than in 2010.
Italy carries on its expenditure, with several tens of costly and useless war machines that will be built in the next 10-15 years. Many will only be built to rust away and to keep them on maintenance, in order to support the Italian and international arms industry.
The total budget for 2011 is 20,494 billion Euros. The total increase is 130 million Euros compared to the previous year (+ 0,6%). The Defence function went up 32,6 million Euros; Land Security went up 145,2 million Euros; External functions were down 49,8 million Euros; personnel went up 2,3 million Euros. The budget for new acquisitions went up by 8,4%, which equals 3,453 billion Euros.
This money will largely be destined to acquire F-35 (471,8 million Euros), Helicopters Nh-90 AgustaWestland (309,5 million), 2 submarines U-212 (164,3 million), and other helicopters Ch-47 F Chinhook (137 million), besides upgrading Tornado fighters (178,3 million).
One may wonder what would be the strategic employ of fighter-bomber F-35, able to carry nuclear missiles, of which our country will buy 131 units. As well as 16 Helicopters Ch-47 Chinook, or 116 assault Helicopters Nh90 (bought between 2000 and 2018).
Furthermore, boats could be built, if not used, in order to sell them, or to ensure occupation in the factories. After all the air-carrier Cavour was used in peace mission in Haiti, showing off is versatility to gain political benevolence in terms of funding.
Of course maintenance, ammunitions and fuel won?t be missing in Afghanistan, whilst they might be short for the new armaments that our politicians have budgeted, with an opposite trend compared to their foreign colleagues. One for all, David Cameron, who cut drastically and bravely military expenditures by an 8% in the next 4 years.
Source: http://it.peacereporter.net/articolo/25684/Difesa,+l'investimento+perpetuo
I WROTE ON 10TH AUGUST 2010:
MY ANGER. MY THIRST FOR JUSTICE.
I'VE SAID AND REPEATED IT, THE ANTICHRIST IS REPRESENTED BY THE SELLERS OF DEATH, SPECULATORS OF HUMAN LIFE.
POOR ITALY, IT ALSO ENDED IN THE INFERNAL CIRCLE OF THE COUNTRIES SELLING DEATH.
BUT MY ANGER BECOMES EXTREME WHEN I SEE A CATHOLIC CHURCH, VATICAN AND ITS PRINCES THAT FOR FEAR, HYPOCRISY AND COMPLICITY DO NOT SAY ANYTHING TO THE MERCHANTS OF DEATH.
WOE! WOE TO YOU PHARISEES, HYPOCRITES! SAID THE YOUNG NAZARENE SON OF GOD.
WOE, WOE TO YOU BROOD OF VIPERS, PRINCES OF THE CHURCH, I SAY. A VOICE CALLING IN THE DESERT.
TO YOU SELLERS OF DEATH I REPEAT: BE CAREFUL!
GOD WATCHES OVER AND MEASURES, DAY BY DAY, HOUR BY HOUR THE TIME OF HIS HOLY JUSTICE.
GIORGIO BONGIOVANNI
Sant?Elpidio a Mare (Italy)
10th August 2010
THE PROHIBITED BOMBS THAT ITALY WILL CONTINUE TO SELL
The UN Convention starts, but the government of B. does not sign
by Maurizio Chierici
On 10th August the UN convention ties the hands of every country in the world. It is prohibited the manufacture, export and storage in the more or less secret warehouses, of cluster bombs, cluster munitions. They sputter as the others but that's not all: they disperse 150, 170 fragments that are not ordinary splinters, but deadly traps, coloured to intrigue those who rummage through the rubble or find them in the grass fields. Barely touched they burst "more effective than landmines." Every year they change the life of thousands of children: some die and some remain different forever. Gino Strada and his Emergency are the witnesses of the disaster in Afghanistan: artificial legs parachuting into dangerous areas float in the air like plastic ghosts.
The document signed by 30 countries
TO MAKE obligatory the International Convention given by the UN secretary Ban Ki-moon, it was necessary to put together at least 30 governments. The last to sign "for a sense of civilization" were Burkina Faso and Moldavia. Italy forgot. As always, Russia, United States, China, Pakistan and Israel look with the distrust of those who can not stand the fanatic moralism of pacifists even if Obama is committed to a moratorium which prevents the deregulation of the warrior Bush. It prohibits the export of non-conventional weapons (in addition to cluster, white phosphorous missiles, napalm, etc.) with the order to destroy before 2018 the 800 million cluster bombs stockpiled in the arsenals of the United States. How come that Italy doesn't sign it? Two years ago, two ministers of ours in Oslo had supported the initiative. "We are at the top of hundred countries to demand a more humane war?, moral that makes you smile because there is nothing human in wars, but it looked like a first breath of good will. Yet they have forgotten it.
There are many explanations. Political turmoils that drown the memory or the convenience not to undermine the weapons' industry that continues flying. In 2008 (latest figures available) the value of the permits issued by the government to sell to other countries tanks, helicopters, bombs of any kind, missiles and sophisticated tools of attack, had a 35% growth: 5.7 billions of Euros. Trend confirmed in 2009. In a while we'll know the quantity of extra business. Turkey that crushes the Kurds is a golden customer: a billion and 93 millions. Then France and many countries including Libya, Venezuela of Chavez, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Kuwait, Nigeria. The companies authorized by our Ministry of Defense are 300. Three are the privileged banks in the intermediation: Banca Nazionale del Lavoro, Deutsche Bank and Soci?t? Generale. At the bottom of the rank there are Banca Intesa and Unicredit. Millions of commissions through the steps. Apart the black list of countries to which it is prohibited to sell directly, the ambiguous game of triangulations works since Israel bought in Europe and exported in South Africa where there was an embargo designed to deflate state racism. If Italy or other countries are present to rescue the desperation of the people, weapons slip without arousing censorships.
If they were still produced in the Lazio region?
ITALIAN ARMS in Libya (Amnesty and Human Rights Watch) where who claims freedom of expression, association and thought can be sentenced to death. Not to mention the inhumane welcome to the refugees fleeing dictatorship of Sudan and Eritrea. We sell to Thailand, where the red shirts of the former president and the army of President fight upsetting cities and countryside. Which of the two factions do we sell to? Not to mention Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman where women remain clandestine shadows. Human Rights makes known our national deposits of cluster bombs: "Italy continues to hide the figure." Among the companies that produced the clusters and do not clarify if they are going to go on and how many bombs are still piled up in their warehouses, there is Simmel Difesa of Colleferro. It sells to La Russa munitions for armoured vehicles in Afghanistan. Years ago, while the public opinion was agitated in front of the torment of women and children burned by the American white phosphorus in Fallujah or the Israeli one in Gaza, the cluster bombs in Afghanistan shocked televisions and newspapers and Simmel banned its catalogue online: the prohibited munitions disappeared. But an investigation by RAI News 24 and information by the NGOs that protect human rights filled the emptiness: the production went on. If they were real, it would be a thrill of horror. Since around the world there are 100 million cluster bombs unexploded. Selling is good for business, but what kind of future are we imagining? The silence continues, Italy does not sign.
The responsibility can not be exhausted in the ambiguity of politics or in the golden affairs of Dr. Strangelove of heavy industry: where are the unions? In 1984 in a debate with Luciano Lama, someone suggested to take OTO Melara's workers to a trip in the Beirut freshly ground by Sharon's cannons. Yesterday as today the unions CGIL-CISL-UIL avoid to connect the "work that makes free" to the freedom of distant peoples burned by that work. Lama was angry: " We'll convert tanks in locomotives, give us time." Time passed and at Simmel of Colleferro nobody protested. In the days of lost jobs, a safe place is worth some distraction
IL FATTO QUOTIDIANO 6th AUGUST 2010
DOUBLE-CROSS
By Gianluca Di Feo and Stefania Maurizi
Piles of weapons to feed the African wars. Sold by Italians. A regime that asks for bribes to every business. This is Libya with which Berlusconi pulls secret agreements.
There is a government hungry for weapons, looking for arsenals to support its forty year-long regime which fears a popular rebellion. Thus it is looking for loads of gun machines to carry out its wicked policy of power, which in the past years contributed to fill out Africa with civil wars. It is indeed Libya which appears in one of the most upsetting investigations on weapons trafficking carried out in Italy: reports, interceptions, shadowing, Letters Rogatory tell us about the latest paradise of arms trading. People very close to colonel Gheddafi move slyly between State affairs, personal interests and secret plots. This is the Libya that Berlusconi will visit, calling for strategic agreements to shake economy and to quit the departure of immigrants towards Lampedusa. L?Espresso reveals the name of the Libyan body which takes care of the immigrants rejected from Italy, a practice which is rather questioned all over Europe.
Before Berlusconi, a large team of Italian entrepreneurs flew to Tripoli to supply the African armies with missiles, helicopters, fighters, rifles, tanks. It is very easy to get hold of radars, armoured vehicles, directly from the producing industries in China, former USSR or Balkans. The important thing is to know the right people, have offshore accounts and a shortcut to avoid checks. Everything has been checked by the court of Perugia and confirmed by the people interviewed by the judge.
A little bit of smoke. As it usually happens, everything started with a simple beginning. During December 2005, the police caught a small hashish traffic and drew their attention to Mr. Gianluca Squarzolo, working for a company active in international cooperation: the ?Sviluppo Terni?, which makes a lot of business with people close to Colonel Gheddafi, such as houses and villas restorations, also through the businessman Ermete Moretti. He went to Libya with a specialist of ozone-therapy, to cure the leader of Jamairhia and referred to have been closely checked whether he was part of secret services. In 2006 he was proposed a new business: a large delivery of gun machines. It was Mr. Tafferdin Mansur, high officer of the Libyan army procurement, very close to the Chief Head of Staff General Abdulrahim Al? Al Sied. You would normally select an experienced person for such operations, whereas in this occasion Squarzolo was sent to Tripoli with some specimen. When the police inspected his bag at Rome airport, they only found a weapons catalogue instead of hashish, thus they realised there was something big behind: they let him go and started the interceptions that pointed out the other associated members.
Mister Gold Rock. Massimo Bettinotti, Serafino Rossi and Vittorio Dordi, are all experts about arms trading. In particular, the latter has a very peculiar background. He went from Lombardy to Uzbekistan, to build weaving plants. In ?98 he opened an office in Congo and became a Counsellor of the Defense Ministry, obtained a diplomatic passport and received the licence to exploit a diamond mine. In 1999 founded Gold Rock in Cyprus and started operating in the Russian market of armaments: ?eighteen years of experience, you know: I am rather popular??, he claimed to the judge. His speciality is Georgia, were they produce good quality armaments. He mentions the Sukhoi 25, a popular fighter in African conflicts. Armoured, robust, simple, can take off from uneven tracks and can withstand even missiles and every now and again they are piloted by fleets of mercenaries which make massacres in the black continent. Dordi has also an active role within the associates of companies producing fighters and helicopters. However, he is also an associate of the Spanish Florentino Perez, civil constructor, with whom he shall do some more business in Congo. Furthermore, there is also another business of sending Kalashnikov and Russian gun machines to Iraq, with the approval of the American government; naval cannons for Sri Lanka, Helicopters for Pakistan, second-hand Migs for Lithuania.
Covert Operations. He knows that Kalashnikovs are low in value. He knows that after twenty years of Embargo the Libyans are looking for some heavier weaponry such as tanks, helicopters, missiles. So why are they looking for far more Ak47 and ammunitions that they can ever need? The answer is given by the people being investigated. The Libyans want to forward them to third parties, without any distinction whether they are Countries or movements in contrast with the Italian foreign policy. Since the 70?s the Libyans have tried to export their revolution all over the world, from Chad to Nicaragua, from Sudan to Liberia.
Bribes in Tripoli. The Italians have mastered the art of bribing, so they pay the fee for the English college of colonel Mansur?s son, as well as another 250 thousand dollars in cash; the same amount goes to the Libyan engineer within the armaments procurement. They raise this money by charging extra costs on the bills. The oligarchs know that their power needs to be defended, so they asked for 250 thousand rubber bullets, 750 launchers of tear-gas grenades, shields and protective vests.
To find half a million gun machines, all you need is sending an e-mail to Norinco, a Chinese producer which ensures a special treatment to exceptional buyers. ?no problem, you shall receive the first 100 thousand within three months? they replied shortly after. In Malta and Cyprus there are even companies that can exploit the loopholes of Italian laws. The Libyans asked for specimen, so Moretti and Bettinotti organised a delivery of six Kalashnikovs from China to Tripoli, making the mistake of notifying mr. Betinotti?s name, spoiling his cover. They found a solution with the intermediation of Khaled K. El Hamedi, president of the large Libyan company ?Eng Holding?. He is brother in law of one of Gheddafi?s son and son of general Khweldi El Famedi, the most respected member of the Revolutionary Command Council.
Gun machines and human rights. On 14th September 2006 Bettinotti sent a fax to 00218214780777, directed to Eng Holding, to the attention of Khaled El Hamedi forwarding the receipt for the Kalashnikovs, altered by Bettinotti to avoid the appearance of his name. That fax number corresponds also to an NGO of which Khaled El Hamedi is president: the ?international organisation for peace, care and relief? (www.iopcr.org) of Tripoli. This is an organisation that supplies aid to Palestinians population and the main Libyan organisation for relief to immigrants. Every organisation that works with immigration has to go trough them and they have even worked with the Italian ?Consiglio Italiano per i Rifugiati (Cir)". In 2008 the presidents of the two associations met up to sign an agreement on immigrants.
Game Over. The war dreams of the Italian entrepreneurs ceased with the specimen of 6 Kalashnikov. In February 2007 Squarzolo, Moretti, Rossi and Bettinotti were arrested, whereas Dordi remained in Congo. He declared that he was not lacking an income. He talked to the Italian Consul General Edoardo Pucci and explained him the situation. Then he went to the American Embassy to inform the CIA security officer. In September 2008 he was expelled from Congo as unwanted person and got arrested. In June there has been the first interrogation: two of them have agreed on a four year-long conviction. The Sphinx is ready to reject the accusations of the process, strengthened by the assistance of Giulia Bongiorno, member of Parliament with Pdl and president of the Justice Commission? the best defense weapon ever.
(27th August 2009)
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