Nine Army Rocket Launchers Still Missing As APEC Summit Begins In Sydney - President Bush To Arrive Tuesday

Frantic Scramble By Security Agencies To Protect Motorcades From Terror And Rocket Attacks

On Monday morning, the APEC summit will begin in Sydney. A five kilometre long 'steel wall' is now being constructed through the centre of the city, and 2500 police, the Australian military, dozens of security agencies and literally thousands of secret service agents from across the Asia-Pacific region are now preparing for the arrival of their leaders.

US President George W. Bush arrives early Tuesday morning, and a much greater, far more expansive security 'lockdown' than previously disclosed to the public is expected to be launched.

This is expected to include blanket mobile phone blackouts when the president is on the move, helicopter gunship escorts and the clearing of boats and cruisers from the harbour for two to five days. If credible terror or security threats are uncovered, all people without the mandatory APEC security clearances may be blocked from entering the fenced off 'security zone' encompassing the Opera House, numerous city hotels and a wealth of tourist attractions.

It would appear every precaution has been taken to keep potential terrorists, assassins or so-called "violent" protesters well away from the hotels and conference centres where the presidents and prime ministers of 21 nations, including Indonesia, China, the US and Russia will converge.

But after more than nine months of intensive searching, arrests, surveillance operations and raids, Australian Federal Police and the ASIO intelligence agency have reportedly still not located at least nine anti-tank rocket launchers stolen from an Army base late last year.

The rocket launchers, capable of destroying a tank from two hundred metres away, can be unpacked, ranged, fired and dumped back into the boot of a car within minutes.

A news report tonight claimed that the anti-tank rockets could rip through the side of a presidential limousine, but that seems a little hard to believe. President Bush's vehicles are supposed to be able to withstand mines and rocket attacks, and support vehicles are said to be equipped with anti-rocket technology and other munitions systems that have never been disclosed.

But despite all the precautions, President Bush, and numerous other world leaders, will still be exposed to potential attack from rocket launchers when they travel in heavily secured motorcades across Sydney and its suburbs, traveling to and from airports and through city streets at speeds most Sydneysiders, used to near day long gridlock, have only ever dreamed about.

Dozens of American, Chinese and Russian secret service and intelligence agents are believed to have been working in Sydney for weeks in preparation for the APEC summit, scouring all possible locations from where attacks by car bombers, or from rocket launchers, could be unleashed on motorcades.


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According to news reports this evening, Australia intelligence agencies and the Australian Federal Police also fear that terrorists may choose the APEC week to attack a 'soft' target elsewhere in Sydney, or Australia, while vast police and military resources are tied up with APEC security arrangements.

More than 1500 international journalists and media representatives are flooding into Sydney to cover the APEC summit, where China is now expected to announce literally world-changing plans to tackle global warming.

If terrorists wanted to capture worldwide attention, security experts fear, next week will provide ample opportunities for maximum exposure.

Another reason why, in the age of the 'War on Terror', such mass gatherings of world leaders should be held away from large population centres.

Prime minister John Howard's decision to hold the APEC summit in the heart of Sydney, instead of in Canberra, or on one of the numerous tropical island resorts off the north coast of Australia, literally laid down the welcome mat for terrorists who wished to gain the attention of the world's media by killing civilians.

Yet John Howard would have us all believe that the greatest threat to the people of Sydney is posed by anti-war and anti-globalisation protesters.

You can imagine the scramble to find those rocket launchers is now unfolding at a fever pitch.

The APEC summit, and the presence of President Bush in town for four to five days, has made the people of Sydney sitting ducks for a terror attack.

Sydneysiders can take some comfort knowing that thousands of police, security guards and soldiers will be out in force to keep them safe.

We won't know, however, until next Sunday evening whether all of the ultra-security measures know being deployed across Sydney will have been enough.


April 2007 : Army Captain And Army Officer Arrested For Stealing, Selling 10 Rocket Launchers - Army Captain Was Munitions Expert

January, 2007 : Stolen Army Rocket Launchers Allegedly Sold Onto Man Being Held On Terror Charges

December 2006 : Rocket Launchers Go Missing From Army Base, Intelligence Agencies Begin Hunt To Track Them Down

Sydney To Be Cut In Half By Ten Foot High, Five Kilometre Long 'Steel Wall'

Protesters On Alert For Agent Provocateurs Aiming To Turn APEC Marches Into Riots

Sydneysiders Told To "Leave Town" During APEC Summit

Sydney Set To Become 'Mini-Police State'

Army Will Be Deployed To Streets Of Sydney For APEC Conference

City Centre To Become Mini-Police State For Up To Two Weeks

Random Body Searches And Detentions Without Charge

For up to two weeks in September, a huge area of Sydney's central business district, and tourist shopping mecca, will be blockaded by hundreds of police, security guards and Australia's military. Soldiers, armed with assault rifles, will allegedly be given "shoot to kill" rules of engagement to deal with security threats.

Black Hawk helicopters will patrol the skies, snipers will be positioned on the rooftops of some of Sydney's landmark buildings, train stations will be closed down and checkpoints will screen each and every person who tries to enter 'The Zone'.

In a quick series of announcements earlier this week, the state and federal government unveiled the first slab of details revealing just how severe the ultra-security will be when more than 20 world leaders, including Presidents Bush and Putin, descend on Sydney for the APEC summit in September this year.

The publicly released plans read like scenarios culled of the Orwellian police state portrayed in the movie 'V For Vendetta', and Sydneysiders are already expressing their anger and frustration at an event that they know will paralyse the city centre, while they still have to go to work and try to live their lives.

While news that Australian soldiers carrying assault rifles will be patrolling the streets of Sydney was jaw-dropping enough, we've also now learned that special legislation will be introduced, allowed under anti-terror laws, to allow police to pull people they deem to be a possible security threat off the street and detainee them without charge, for days at a time. Other Sydneysiders can look forward to the possibility of being subjected to random full body searches :

...a giant security triangle will envelop an area marked by the Sydney Opera House, Government House and the Sydney Convention Centre.

The corridor to Sydney Airport is also expected to be a declared search zone.

People who venture into the areas will be subject to random body searches during the seven-day conference, with security peaking from September 7-9 when 21 world leaders arrive to Sydney.

Additional legislation will also be introduced to allow security agencies from foreign governments to enforce their own security arrangements while in Australia, News Limited reports.

Bizarrely, the New South Wales premier, Morris Iemma, spun out a fantastic fantasy about how good the APEC summit will be for promoting Sydney internationally as a tourist destination.

Yeah, if your idea of a tourist destination is a place where the streets are locked down by armed checkpoints, where military patrols roam freely and the sky is criss-crossed by thundering Black Hawk helicopters :

Prime Minister John Howard and New South Wales Premier Morris Iemma met today to discuss transport and security for the meeting of 21 world leaders, including US President George W Bush.

The (security) measures mean three city circle train stations – St James, Museum and Circular Quay – will be closed for three days from the Friday, which will be a public holiday in Sydney.

Many other measures have yet to be made public, but other areas of the city centre will also become restricted zones and heavy security will be in place at a number of hotels.

The Sydney Opera House, Government House and the Sydney Exhibition and Convention Centre will be the key APEC venues.

Mr Howard and Mr Iemma said they hoped the Sydney Harbour Bridge would remain open and that disruptions on the Cahill Expressway, leading to the bridge, would be minimal.

"Some disruption is unavoidable; the only way you avoid disruption is to say that Sydney is closed for business as far as major international gatherings are concerned," Mr Howard said.

"We intend it to be a great weekend for Sydney and Australia and it will be ... both being Sydney boys, we intend to make sure it works."

Mr Iemma said Sydney would gain economically from hosting the summit and from worldwide exposure.

He said during the three days of the event Sydneysiders should attempt to live their lives as normal, but be wary of the closures and lockdowns.

"It's a balance between ensuring a successful conference, a successful gathering and ensuring the safety and security of those who will be participating," Mr Iemma said.

"And at the same time to minimise inconvenience and disruption."

This level of security is moving beyond the absurd, and is an affront to rights of Sydneysiders to move freely about their city.

Here's an idea : choose one of the dozens of isolated island resorts off Australia's east coast, rent the whole thing for a week, deploy the Navy, establish a security zone around the island and hold the APEC conference there.

It's remarkable to think that John Howard thinks APEC will stand as the jewel in the crown of his 11 year long stretch as the leader of Australia.

With free citizens being randomly selected for full body searches, or snatched off the streets of the city and bundled into vans and then held without charge, not to forget the weeks of 'rehearsals' where Black Hawk helicopters will buzz Sydney and its suburbs with thundering flights just above the tree tops, and 'persons of interests' being hauled in for questioning, Sydneysiders are going to get a full-scale taste of what it's like to live in a mini-police state.

The only Sydneysiders looking forward to the APEC summit, and all the delays, hassles and rights violations that will result, are the prime minister and the premier.

Of course, neither of them have to worry about being stuck in gridlock for hours at a time, while fleets of police-escorted presidential motorcades plough through the city centre, as they can always hide away in the back of a speeding ambulance to get to where they want to go. It wouldn't be the first time either of them have beat the gridlock using this method. Solely for "security reasons" of course.


UPDATE : No doubt one of the key security concerns now plaguing the minds of those who must ensure the safety of visiting presidents is the fact that six or more anti-tank rocket launchers, stolen from an Army barracks last year, are still missing.


Go Here For More On The Lost Rocket Launchers

Army Captain And Army Officer Arrested For Stealing, Selling Ten Anti-Tank Rocket Launchers

Rocket Launchers Sold On To Suspected Terrorist, At Least Seven Still Missing


UPDATE : A Commonwealth prosecutor claims police covertly recorded one of the two former Australian Army men accused of stealing and selling anti-tank rocket launchers as he threatened to kill anybody who revealed they were trying to sell the deadly weapons on the Sydney blackmarket.

Suddenly, once the alleged weapons thieves are before a court, the number of rocket launchers stolen has risen to 10, from the original seven that police and the Australian Defence Force claimed earlier this year had been stolen.

Previously....

Police made the unusual move of announcing to the media that they were going to arrest a captain in the Australian Defence Force for allegedly stealing and selling military rocket launchers hours before the arrest took place earlier today.

The Army captain's alleged partner in the thefts of the rocket launchers is a former officer in the Australian Defence forces.

Eight rocket launchers were stolen from an Army depot between 2002 and late 2006, but only one has been recovered by police.

A court heard earlier this year that five of the anti-tank weapons had been sold to a 'terrorist suspect' in Sydney, via a reputed arms dealer. Police believe the two men arrested had tried to sell the rocket launchers for $5000 each.

The rocket launchers were anti-tank M72s. They can pierce armour almost one foot thick, and are capable of completely destroying civilian vehicles, killing everyone inside.

The search for the seven missing rocket launchers is growing more intense. A critical deadline looms. The APEC summit of world leaders to be held in Sydney in September.

Australian Federal Police and the nation's chief intelligence agency, ASIO, are believed to be under pressure from American and Russian secret services to find the missing weapons, as preparations begin on security details for the APEC summit.

Russian president Vladimir Putin and US president George W. Bush are amongst the dozens of world leaders expected to attend the two day series of meetings and conferences.

The NSW government has already announced that the Friday before the weekend meeting will be a public holiday for city workers, and all roads in and out of the central business district are expected to be closed down. The security operation surrounding APEC will be the biggest in Australian history.

Despite the connection to organised crime and a suspected terrorist, the two Army-linked men accused of stealing the rocket launchers are expected to only be charged with breaches of firearm laws and the theft of Commonwealth property.

From news.com.au :

Their arrests bring to four the total number of people arrested over the weapons theft.

Abdul Rahman was arrested at a house in Leumeah, in Sydney's southwest, late last year and charged with 17 offences over the stolen rocket launchers.

Police allege Rahman, 28, had supplied five of the weapons to one of the men arrested in anti-terrorism raids in Sydney in November 2005.

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From a January 4, 2007, report on this blog :

A massive investigation involving the Australian Federal Police and the nation's chief spy agency has led to the arrest of a 28 year old man in Sydney for allegedly trying to sell rocket launchers believed to have been stolen from the Australian Army to a man now being held on terror-related charges.

The man now facing charges - a known gun dealer and convicted double-murderer - also believed to have been in possession of 20 kilos of Power Gel explosives, was already under investigation following a sting operation where undercover detectives paid him $50,000 in a failed attempt to recover one of the deadly weapons.

It would appear there is plenty more to this story that has not yet been made public. The 28 year old man was described by one investigator as one link in a chain involving stolen Australian Army weapons and ammunition and powerful underworld crime figures.

But were the rocket launchers part of a terror plot? Or some powerful weaponry for crime gangs out for explosive revenge attacks?

The police refuse to confirm one story or the other.

When the story of the missing rocket launchers broke last month, police and Army spokespersons refused to confirm to journalists that the launchers had been stolen from Australian Army stockpiles.

A theory that the launchers may have been smuggled into Australia was floated instead.

No wonder. Now serious questions are being raised about why private security companies are being used to patrol Australian military bases and, presumably, are tasked with securing stockpiles of rocket launchers and explosives.

Incredible. Who defends the Australian Defence Force bases after midnight? Private security guards.

The fact that rocket launchers, capable of destroying vehicles or even taking down airliners, were missing somewhere in Australia triggered one of the biggest joint ASIO-Federal Police investigations in years.

As the APEC summit draws nearer, it is expected that US Secret Service and CIA agents will become involved in the hunt for the missing weapons, as they are unlikely to allow President Bush to visit Sydney when such a massive security breach remains unresolved.

'Rocket Man' : I Forgot I Left Ten Rocket Launchers In The Boot Of My Car - Decorated For Work In Iraq, May Now Face Treason Charges

December, 2006 : Rocket Launchers Go Missing, Intelligence Agencies Join Investigation

January, 2007 : The Enemy Within? Australian Air Force Engineer Charged With With Possessing Bombs And Explosives

Rocket Launcher Found On Sale At Rubbish Tip, For $2!

Arrested Army Captain Was A Munitions Expert

The Enemy Within?

Australian Air Force Man Charged With Possessing Explosives And "Homemade" Bombs

He worked as an engineer with the Australian Air Force. He had access to jet fighters, including the F/A-18 Hornet. He also happened to keep a personal stash of high-powered explosives, detonators and "homemade devices" - presumably bombs.

But don't worry. Police don't think he has any connection to 'terrorism'. Does this mean the man is a white Christian?

From the Daily Telegraph (excerpts) :

His arrest follows the discovery of more than 5kgs of Power Gel explosive found by transport company employees in a car at Toll Transport’s Autologistics vehicle yard on Robert Rd, Greenacre, on Tuesday of last week.

The aqua-green Ford EA Falcon had had been transport to the centre from Queensland as part of the RAAF employee’s move interstate.

On Tuesday this week, the day after police arrested the man, they intercepted a removalist truck near Newcastle and recovered a large locked box that contained a couple of detonators and home-made devices, as well as old firearms.

The Australian Army is believed to be examining the devices, believed to be makeshift explosives.

All this follows recent shocking revelations that rocket launchers capable of taking out a tank had been stolen an Australian Army base, and are believed to have been sold on to suspected terrorists.

At least seven of the rocket launchers are still missing.


The Hunt Is On - Rocket Launchers Missing, APEC World Leaders Summit Draws Closer

Rocket Launchers Stolen From Australian Defence Force Allegedly Sold To Man Now Being Held On Terror-Related Charges

Rocket Launchers Stolen From Australian Defence Force Sold To Man Now Being Held On Terror Charges

One Rocket Launcher Recovered, SEVEN or More Still Missing

Attack On Nuclear Reactor With Rocket Would Only "Chip Away" At Exterior


A massive investigation involving the Australian Federal Police and the nation's chief spy agency has led to the arrest of a 28 year old man in Sydney for allegedly trying to sell rocket launchers believed to have been stolen from the Australian Army to a man now being held on terror-related charges.

The man now facing charges - a known gun dealer and convicted double-murderer - also believed to have been in possession of 20 kilos of Power Gel explosives, was already under investigation following a sting operation where undercover detectives paid him $50,000 in a failed attempt to recover one of the deadly weapons.

One rocket launcher has so far been recovered. Police said today seven or more 66mm rocket launchers are still missing.

It would appear there is plenty more to this story that has not yet been made public. The 28 year old man was described by one investigator as one link in a chain involving stolen Australian Army weapons and ammunition and powerful underworld crime figures.

But were the rocket launchers part of a terror plot? Or some powerful weaponry for crime gangs out for explosive revenge attacks?

The police refuse to confirm one story or the other.

When the story of the missing rocket launchers broke last month, police and Army spokespersons refused to confirm to journalists that the launchers had been stolen from Australian Army stockpiles.

A theory that the launchers may have been smuggled into Australia was floated instead.

No wonder. Now serious questions are being raised about why private security companies are being used to patrol Australian military bases and, presumably, are tasked with securing stockpiles of rocket launchers and explosives.

Incredible. Who defends the Australian Defence Force bases after midnight? Private security guards.

The fact that rocket launchers, capable of destroying vehicles or even taking down airliners, were missing somewhere in Australia triggered one of the biggest joint ASIO-Federal Police investigations in years.

A sense of dire urgency was added to the investigations due to the fact that Sydney is set to host the APEC conference in less than eight months, when dozens of world leaders will gather for days of meetings, including President Bush.

As the APEC summit draws nearer, it is expected that US Secret Service and CIA agents will become involved in the hunt for the missing weapons, as they are unlikely to allow President Bush to visit Sydney when such a massive security breach remains unresolved.

If the rocket launchers are not recovered, and the APEC summit goes ahead with President Bush in attendance, Sydneysiders can look forward to having much of the central business district completely shut down and locked off for at least two days before, and for the entire duration of, the conference.

The NSW state government is already considering making the days of the APEC summt into public holidays, so workers will not be inconvenienced by what is expected to be the biggest security operation ever mounted in Australia.

State and federal police agencies are now urgently appealing to the public to help find the missing rocket launchers.


From the Sydney Morning Herald (excerpts) :

Counter Terrorism police have arrested and charged a 28-year-old Sydney gun dealer over the theft of seven rocket launchers from the Australian military allegedly for sale to a major underworld figure and suspected terrorist.

Australian Federal Police Assistant Commissioner Frank Prendergast said the man supplied two rocket launchers to one man and five others to another individual who is facing terror charges on another matter.

The arrested man is accused of stealing all seven launchers and has been charged with 17 weapons and stolen property counts...

From news.com.au (excerpts) :

AFP Assistant Commissioner Frank Prendergast, who is the AFP's counter terrorism national manager, said the 28-year-old man supplied two rocket launchers to one man, and five of the weapons to another man.

"The person who received five is facing terrorism charges on another matter,'' Asst Commissioner Prendergast said.

"It is a matter of great importance to us to recover the six outstanding weapons.''

The charged man is believed to be one link in a "chain of supply'', Asst Commissioner Kaldas said.

Army chief Lieutenant General Peter Leahy said earlier that the Defence Department was investigating claims that former soldiers may have sold anti-tank rockets on the black market to criminals or even terrorists.

UPDATE : Claims aired today indicate that the alleged terror plot included launching rockets at the Lucas Heights Nuclear Reactor. But that might not be quite as terrifying as it sounds. There would be no meltdown, no leak of radiaton, no mega-explosion.

All that would result from a rocket attack on the reactor would be...the waste of a rocket :

Security consultant Peter Collins said the easy-to-use single-use rockets could destroy a car, or if fired into a packed train or bus, would cause a blast and shrapnel spray capable of killing people within a five metre radius.

But the former navy intelligence officer said the outdated rocket, which has a range of 220m and is best used on stationary objects, would have almost no effect on a building like the Lucas Heights nuclear reactor.

"It would chip away the exterior but the chance of it penetrating the reactor area of the site would be zero,'' Mr Collins said.

Go To 'Your New Reality' For More


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Rocket Attack Plot Blurs The Line Between Criminality And Terrorism

Who's Got The Rockets? Terrorists? Or Crime Gangs Out For Explosive Revenge? Police Are Still Undecided.

Rocket Launcher Found On Sale For Only $2

Australian Spy Agencies Join Hunt For Missing Rocket Launchers, As World Leaders Conference In Sydney Draws Closer