Germany to probe how rifles wound up in Libya

[jakeXT]

Source: Reuters

Aug 31 (Reuters) - Germany and Libya's new authorities will investigate reports that high-powered German assault rifles wound up in Muammar Gaddafi's arsenals where the weapons were seized by rebels and used against his forces, officials said on Wednesday.

Libyan fighters had been seen carrying the high-tech rifles made by Heckler & Koch in southern Germany and normally used by special forces, the Stuttgarter Nachrichten newspaper said.

The newspaper said Libyan fighters armed themselves with the weapons, a version of the G36 assault rifle, after taking them from arsenals in the fighting to oust Gaddafi.

"The German government does not know how weapons of this type could have possibly ended up in Libya," economy ministry spokesman Tobias Pohl told a news conference.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/31/libya-germany-weapons-idUSL5E7JV2GQ20110831

[tabatha]

1. A German poster on AJE

said they were sold to South Africa with the condition that should not be sold to anyone else. Maybe they made it to Libya via South African Airways.


about this german assault riffle
normal export to south afrika with an agreement that the weapons have to stay there and a export is not allowed.
some people in south afrika have to answer questions now

[Xithras]

3. Have they verified that?

I've read elsewhere in the past that a lot of the G36's on the black market have been traced back to Mexico, where the FX05 has been replacing them in the federal forces. Mexico being what it is, a lot of weapons find their way from the military and police forces into the hands of the cartels, where they can find their way onto the global black market.

[tabatha]

4. I don't have a second source - but this guy knows what he is talking about.

So I would say it is highly probable, but not verified.

There is a South African version

http://www.imfdb.org/wiki/Heckler_%26_Koch_G3

[BrendaBrick]

2. Ever seen the movie: "Lord of War" with Nicholas Cage?

I saw it when it came out in the theaters in 2005. Explains a lot and was based (composite) on a true story:

The "Based on a true story" title comes after two other titles and a final statement from Yuri to the effect that in his role as arms merchant (a composite of five actual persons) he engaged in a retail operations compared to the biggest arms dealers of all--the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council. The Political Film Society, accordingly, has nominated Lord of War as best film exposé of 2005. MH

Source: http://www.geocities.com/polfilms/lordofwar.html

Memorable scenes/music on the opening credits:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4jMzKxYB74

If you have Comcast/Infinity, I believe you can watch this for $2.99 or $3.99 in HD.

I've never been able to quite shake this movie off...

[Endangered Specie]

5. Therein lies the problem, Germany isn't a permanent UN member....

what gives them the right to sell guns like the big-5? :sarcasm:

[jakeXT]

6. If Ebert & Roeper like it, i'll give it a try...

Found a cheap DVD