Spies on trail of stolen army rocket launchers,Natalie O'Brien and
Patrick Walters,December 23, 2006
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20966820-5001561,00.html
AUSTRALIA'S peak intelligence and spy agencies will lead a
nationwide audit of the defence force's weapons and munitions
stocks amid fears a cache of rocket launchers and explosives have
been stolen and sold to criminal gangs and terrorists.
Defence Minister Brendan Nelson said yesterday the review would be
run by the Defence Security Authority and overseen by a board that
would include a representative from the Australian Security
Intelligence Organisation spy agency.
"I have agreed that a comprehensive audit of the security policies
and practices that apply to defence weapons, munitions and
explosives be undertaken," Dr Nelson said. The audit follows
revelations last week that military personnel were feared to be
behind the black-market sale of rocket launchers (anti-armour
weapons) and guns.
The NSW counter-terrorism police and the Australian Federal Police
are trying to find eight of nine rocket launchers believed
to have been stolen from the army.
One of the launchers has been recovered after police struck a deal
with Adnan Darwiche, a Sydney underworld figure serving a double
life sentence for murder. It is suspected the launchers were stolen
with inside military help.
Dr Nelson said yesterday he had been advised that all current
weapon stocks had been accounted for, but there would also be an
examination of past accounting records for the weapons.
He announced a ban on the issue of rocket launchers, with the
exception of authorised operations, until after the audit was
completed and a report tabled at the end of next month.
The second phase of the audit, examining all security aspects of
policies and practices on the management of weapons, will be
completed by June.
A 53-year-old army sergeant has been charged after rocket
launchers, hand grenades, guns and ammunition were seized from
Victorian properties last week.
2.what is the SAF penealty of losing rocket launcher ?
