This article is from page 81 of the 2009-02-17 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 81 JPG
THERE have been renewed calls for the Irish Government to order gardai to search all US military aircraft which stop at Shannon Airport fol- lowing news that a fugitive wanted by the FBI managed to fly into and out of the mid-west aerodrome with millions of euro worth of gold with- out being detected.
Christopher Warren (26), who has Since been arrested in the US, was wanted over a $100m (€78m) mort- gage scam in California. He spent a day in Shannon earlier this month af- ter chartering a private jet in Las Ve- gas. US authorities believe Warren may have had up to €4m worth of gold, weighing over 160 kilograms, in his possession when he arrived in Ireland however he managed to pass through Shannon without being stopped.
Millions of euro of taxpayers’ mon- ey 1S spent at Shannon to provide round-the-clock armed protection for US military aircraft. Despite the security presence at the airport and countless claims that US planes have illegally carried armaments and pris- oners through the airport on small private jets, no searches are carried out on aircraft there.
Retired Irish Army Commandant and prominent anti-war campaigner Edward Horgan has reiterated his calls for all US planes to be searched at Shannon, describing the airport as
the “wild west”.
“Gold is a harmless and completely inert substance to be taking through Shannon, but it does emphasise that Ireland, and Shannon airport is the “wild west” as far as controls are concerned. It now appears that any- thing can be brought through Shan- non Airport mainly because the gardai have been told not to search any US aircraft, especially executive type jets, in case they may turn out to be CIA planes carrying prisoners. This of course would embarrass the Irish Government and expose their complicity with the torture rendition programme.”
Mr Horgan added, “Again, I strong- ly recommend that the garda do their duty at Shannon and carry out regu- lar and random checks on all aircraft, including and especially US aircraft, to ensure that no such aircraft are carrying contraband of any sort, es- pecially drugs, dangerous explosives or kidnapped prisoners.”
The jet which Warren had char- tered made a refuelling stop at Shan- non on February 3rd where the pilot and crew took a rest break before flying the fugitive on to Jounieh in Lebanon.
Warren was apprehended last week after attempting to return to the US using a false passport.
When caught he was carrying two false passports while immigration officers also found a total of $70,000 (€54,554) in cash; $lm (€778,970)
in Swiss bank certificates and nearly $6,000 (€4,675) worth of platinum. Warren now faces charges of con- spiracy, fraud and conducting a fi- nancial crime.
It appears that the FBI was unaware of Warren’s movements until after he had left Shannon.
It 1s believed that neither gardai nor customs were informed by US
authorities that Warren was passing through Shannon.