MSNBC.com has an exclusive story up now about an investigation into whether Blackwater has been sneaking "silencers" into Iraq for use on their high powered weapons.
From MSNBC.com:
By Aram Roston
Investigative producer
NBC News
updated 54 minutes ago
WASHINGTON - Federal agents are investigating allegations that the Blackwater USA security firm illegally exported dozens of firearms sound suppressors — commonly known as silencers — to Iraq and other countries for use by company operatives, sources close to the investigation tell NBC News.
Investigators from various federal agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the State Department and the Commerce Department, are digging into the allegations that the company exported the silencers without getting necessary export approval, according to law enforcement sources, who spoke to NBC News on condition of anonymity. The sources said the investigation is part of a broader examination of potential firearms and export violations.
Coincidentally, the company’s main responsibility in Iraq is protecting officials of the State Department, the agency that regulates exports of arms. The firm had more than $500 million in federal contracts in 2006
Emphasis mine. What other countries are they talking about? Makes it sound like more than just Iraq and Afghanistan.
Where did they get these silencers, and how did they get them into Iraq and "other countries"? More from the article:
The sources tell NBC News that Blackwater purchased the silencers legally from SWR Manufacturing, formerly of Georgia and now located in Pickens, S.C. SWR manufactures the devices for pistols, rifles and machine guns. The purchases took place over several years, the sources say.
A SWR Manufacturing source says they purchased 100 or more. Apparently the ATF has been looking into this for more than a year because this same source says that he gave the ATF all documents related to their purchases a year ago. Didn't SWR Manufacturing get suspicious that Blackwater USA was purchasing all of these silencers....over several years period? For what purpose if they weren't supposed to be anything more than armed guards for State Dept officials?
Here's the interesting thing, there is a rather stiff penalty for not getting a license for these. This could really come back to bite Blackwater.
Maarten Sengers, an expert on arms export compliance in Washington, who is not involved in the investigation, said the criminal penalties for exporting silencers without proper paperwork can be stiff — up to 10 years in prison and fines up to $1 million per count.
I don't know how a corporation can do 10 years in prison per offense, but I would very much like to see the strictest financial penalties for Blackwater, and any applicable jail terms for Blackwater execs who arranged the purchase and transport of these items.
But, the larger question is this.....why in the hell does Blackwater need silencers? They aren't doing any recon or tactical missions.....are they?
This investigation could get very interesting. Let's hope it'll be the last for Blackwater and we can finally disband this private army.
On edit - hat tip to NBC News for a good piece. We are on the media a lot - for good reason - but let's give credit where credit is due.