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U.A.E plane released from India
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UPI) Sep 9, 2009 A China-bound United Arab Emirates transport plane laden with weapons and detained in Kolkata, India, earlier this week has been give the nod for release. A statement from the Ministry of External Affairs said New Delhi would "facilitate early release of the aircraft" and resolve the matter "in the spirit of the close and friendly ties between India and the UAE." Indian officials had held up the plane in Kolkata, the city formerly known as Calcutta, and questioned its nine-member crew -- including the captain, a co-pilot, a navigator and two engineers -- after finding a large cache of arms and ammunition onboard. The weapons had not been declared. Trade Arabia reported that the plane's captain had advised Indian customs officials of his cargo but did not formally specify it in an initial application. The plane, detained on Sept.7, was flying to Xiangyang, China, after taking off from the U.A.E.'s Western Command Base in Abu Dhabi. Embarrassed by the incident, the United Arab Emirates were quick in expressing regret. They billed the incident an omission and technical error by the pilot. Upon his interrogation, the pilot of the C-130 Hercules transport plane said he was a mere "courier" and would often fly weapons to China for "test," according to Trade Arabia. There was no immediate or official description of the arms by either side. Still, reports in both Kolkata and Abu Dhabi said they included three boxes of carrying rifles, ammunition and explosives. Although necessary Air Force clearances had been afforded to the C-130 Hercules plane, military and intelligence officials quickly suspected that the crew could have been involved in gun-running. The India Times said the aircraft's release was ordered by the country's Defense Ministry, which took command of the investigation and interrogations quickly after the incident became known, nearly sparking a diplomatic row between India and the United Arab Emirates. Legal proceedings initially scheduled against the crew were called off Monday. Share This Article With Planet Earth
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Frenchman makes history at NATO supreme commandNorfolk, Virginia (AFP) Sept 9, 2009 A French air force general made NATO history on Wednesday by becoming the first non-American to assume a supreme command post. At a landmark ceremony aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower moored off Norfolk, Virginia, Stephane Abrial became head of Allied Command Transformation, replacing outgoing US marine general James Mattis. NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who attended ... read more |
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