Libyan despot on the run by UK help
The fugitive former dictator of Libya has gone into hiding with the help of the most sophisticated and upto date communications systems supplied by Britain in 2007.
Three years after the US-led imposed arms embargo against the North African country was lifted, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair visited Libya in 2007 with that famous smile and a pocket full of deals, including an agreement to supply the country the most up-to-date command and control systems made by General Dynamics UK, which is similar to Bowman Systems used by the British Army.
The system is a laptop-based communications network, which allows everyone from commanding officer down to the soldier in a ditch to communicate with nobody hacking in and listening.
During Blair’s visit, General Dynamics clinched one of the biggest deals of all with now fugitive colonel worth $165 million.
Immediately after the deal was signed, an executive from General Dynamics wrote to the then UK ambassador to Libya, Vincent Fean to appreciate the Foreign Office assistance.
”Dear Vincent, I wanted immediately to write to thank you…for your interest and support on the rocky road towards success in the program”, wrote the General Dynamics boss.
Letters released by the Foreign Office under the Freedom of Information requests reveal how much the company is in debt to Vince, the former ambassador.
A Channel 4 News correspondent says how they were given the passports of British workers who had been working at the notorious Khamis military base in southern Tripoli.
”We tried to drive through the vast gates of the notorious Khamis military base in southern Tripoli, when a gunman [one of the revolutionary forces] thrust a dozen or so ID badges into our vehicle”, said the correspondent.
”To our astonishment, we saw names and photos of British men. The passes were headed ”Collaborators With The 32nd Brigade”. What was the nature of their ”collaboration” with the elite and feared 32nd - run by Khamis, the colonel’s son?” added the Channel 4 News reporter.
”We had one clue - two of these men were linked to General Dynamics UK which makes and exports sophisticated command and control systems”, the reporter said.
This case is just a puddle in an ocean of British government arms and military equipment sales to repressive regimes from North Africa to the Middle East.
In fact, when it comes to weapons and military exports the UK’s long time strategy and its essential position is ”if we don’t some other country will”.
Source: presstv.ir
