Future OP's of JMC L1011's
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Hmmm, I see that Bruce Hobbs hasn't dared respond to my little challenge. Given what I've discovered about his past activities, I can't say that I blame him <img src="wink.gif" border="0"> 
Moving on...
I have discovered that JMC is selling the ex Caledonian L1011s to an Ostend based company Ducor World Airlines (formerly Liberia World). They had a couple of DC8s which were used on arms and sanctions busting flights around the world (mainly in Africa) and recently they acquired an ex LTU TriStar that had been parked for some five years. This aircraft was converted into a freighter at sister company AMG (which owns the – unlicenced – maintenance base at Ostend). A rather unusual freighter it is as well, as it doesn’t have a freighter door, and apparently during the modification process someone damaged it beyond repair. The aircraft was originally on the Bulgarian register (LZ-TPZ) and is currently on that of Equatorial Guinea – a well known ‘flag of convenience’.
I have it on good authority that it was felt that such a large aircraft would excite far less attention on illegal operations than a Boeing 707 or DC8; and of course the aircraft can carry considerably more cargo. And why no freight doors? Invariably, illicit cargoes are hand-loaded (so that they can be hand offloaded in unsophisticated conditions, where FMCs and other air cargo equipment normally found at international airports are not available).
Some background information on them from <a href="http://www.cleanostend.com" target="_blank">clean0stend.com</a>
Liberia World Airlines has its main office in Gibraltar. In 1988 a Belgian company NV Liberia World Airlines Belgium was constituted, which went bankrupt in 1994. The company was co-owned by a Liberian citizen and a native of Kinshasa. The latter is now resident in a hamlet on the Franco-Belgian border. A few weeks after the bankruptcy, the Brussels-based company Westland Aviation, owned by the same person, was transferred to the Ostend Airport. The company obtained a very substantial injection of new money, fifty per cent of which was contributed by a Swiss company, Avtec AG, Basel.
Westland Aviation still operates from Ostend and had two DC8 aircraft based on that airport. One of them recently had its last authorised flight in Europe and it took the opportunity to fly to Uganda. The other Liberian-registered aircraft EL-AJO is still operational. In 1995 it was accused by Human Rights Watch (hereafter HRW) of illegal arms' transport. The Belgian authorities assured HRW that an investigation was already in progress as a result of their own information. In spite of the investigation, the same aircraft was, in August 1996, again convicted of illicit transport. The aircraft was impounded by local authorities in Goma, the Congo, after it was found to be carrying military clothing destined for Uganda and hidden under a load of relief supplies. [6]
Nevertheless until at least 2000 a great number of humanitarian flights were assigned to the same airplane EL-AJO. This means that Belgian authorities are not interested in the reports of HRW or of similar pressure groups and consequently have omitted taking preventive action. As a result, certain companies manage to make a profit from acts of war, by mixing relief supplies with military equipment.
A company closely connected with Westland Aviation, Airline Management Group, runs a hangar where, besides LWA-aircraft, other old airplanes receive maintenance or are refurbished. Whether AMG owns a maintenance licence, is not clear.
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Anyway, Ducor World were the highest bidder and if that’s the case then JMC are in the process of preparing the relevant contracts. Now, do you think that a major public company (especially one with a huge public German parent, C&N Touristic AG) as Thomas Cook plc should have one of its subsidiaries selling off equipment that be likely to be used for the carriage of illicit arms and other sanctions busting goods? <img src="eek.gif" border="0"> <img src="wink.gif" border="0"> <img src="eek.gif" border="0">
[ 21 December 2001: Message edited by: The Guvnor ]</p>
Moving on...
I have discovered that JMC is selling the ex Caledonian L1011s to an Ostend based company Ducor World Airlines (formerly Liberia World). They had a couple of DC8s which were used on arms and sanctions busting flights around the world (mainly in Africa) and recently they acquired an ex LTU TriStar that had been parked for some five years. This aircraft was converted into a freighter at sister company AMG (which owns the – unlicenced – maintenance base at Ostend). A rather unusual freighter it is as well, as it doesn’t have a freighter door, and apparently during the modification process someone damaged it beyond repair. The aircraft was originally on the Bulgarian register (LZ-TPZ) and is currently on that of Equatorial Guinea – a well known ‘flag of convenience’.
I have it on good authority that it was felt that such a large aircraft would excite far less attention on illegal operations than a Boeing 707 or DC8; and of course the aircraft can carry considerably more cargo. And why no freight doors? Invariably, illicit cargoes are hand-loaded (so that they can be hand offloaded in unsophisticated conditions, where FMCs and other air cargo equipment normally found at international airports are not available).
Some background information on them from <a href="http://www.cleanostend.com" target="_blank">clean0stend.com</a>
Liberia World Airlines has its main office in Gibraltar. In 1988 a Belgian company NV Liberia World Airlines Belgium was constituted, which went bankrupt in 1994. The company was co-owned by a Liberian citizen and a native of Kinshasa. The latter is now resident in a hamlet on the Franco-Belgian border. A few weeks after the bankruptcy, the Brussels-based company Westland Aviation, owned by the same person, was transferred to the Ostend Airport. The company obtained a very substantial injection of new money, fifty per cent of which was contributed by a Swiss company, Avtec AG, Basel.
Westland Aviation still operates from Ostend and had two DC8 aircraft based on that airport. One of them recently had its last authorised flight in Europe and it took the opportunity to fly to Uganda. The other Liberian-registered aircraft EL-AJO is still operational. In 1995 it was accused by Human Rights Watch (hereafter HRW) of illegal arms' transport. The Belgian authorities assured HRW that an investigation was already in progress as a result of their own information. In spite of the investigation, the same aircraft was, in August 1996, again convicted of illicit transport. The aircraft was impounded by local authorities in Goma, the Congo, after it was found to be carrying military clothing destined for Uganda and hidden under a load of relief supplies. [6]
Nevertheless until at least 2000 a great number of humanitarian flights were assigned to the same airplane EL-AJO. This means that Belgian authorities are not interested in the reports of HRW or of similar pressure groups and consequently have omitted taking preventive action. As a result, certain companies manage to make a profit from acts of war, by mixing relief supplies with military equipment.
A company closely connected with Westland Aviation, Airline Management Group, runs a hangar where, besides LWA-aircraft, other old airplanes receive maintenance or are refurbished. Whether AMG owns a maintenance licence, is not clear.
----
Anyway, Ducor World were the highest bidder and if that’s the case then JMC are in the process of preparing the relevant contracts. Now, do you think that a major public company (especially one with a huge public German parent, C&N Touristic AG) as Thomas Cook plc should have one of its subsidiaries selling off equipment that be likely to be used for the carriage of illicit arms and other sanctions busting goods? <img src="eek.gif" border="0"> <img src="wink.gif" border="0"> <img src="eek.gif" border="0">
[ 21 December 2001: Message edited by: The Guvnor ]</p>
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Guvnor, you were bitter at being outbid weren't you?
I have it on good authority that you are linked to a bankrupt yourself. <img src="eek.gif" border="0">
Do you want to disclose the details or shall I?
If you are right about the airplanes being sold to this company it is probably no worse than them being sold to some obnoxious little fantasist with no money, no scruples and no reputation.
I have it on good authority that you are linked to a bankrupt yourself. <img src="eek.gif" border="0">
Do you want to disclose the details or shall I?
If you are right about the airplanes being sold to this company it is probably no worse than them being sold to some obnoxious little fantasist with no money, no scruples and no reputation.
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PowerRanger - I don't see any reference in there to any bankruptcy by DWA - or perhaps you know something the rest of us don't? More interesting is the fact that DWA are closely tied to one Victor Boutt ... who happens to be a very close associate of Osama Bin Laden.
Hmmm, no money, eh? Give me your identity and an email address, and if you're kosher I'd be delighted to send you over confirmation of availability of funds.
As they say, those that can, do. Those that can't, consult. What was your stated occupation again?!? <img src="eek.gif" border="0"> <img src="rolleyes.gif" border="0"> <img src="eek.gif" border="0">
[ 21 December 2001: Message edited by: The Guvnor ]</p>
Hmmm, no money, eh? Give me your identity and an email address, and if you're kosher I'd be delighted to send you over confirmation of availability of funds.
As they say, those that can, do. Those that can't, consult. What was your stated occupation again?!? <img src="eek.gif" border="0"> <img src="rolleyes.gif" border="0"> <img src="eek.gif" border="0">
[ 21 December 2001: Message edited by: The Guvnor ]</p>
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Guvnor how amusing. I didn't say it was you that had no money etc...
How telling that you should jump to that conclusion yourself!! <img src="wink.gif" border="0">
Now then. "Those that can, do... blah, blah blah ad nauseum"
Remind me again, how many aircraft are there in your fleet? <img src="rolleyes.gif" border="0"> <img src="rolleyes.gif" border="0"> <img src="rolleyes.gif" border="0">
Merry Christmas Guv.
How telling that you should jump to that conclusion yourself!! <img src="wink.gif" border="0">
Now then. "Those that can, do... blah, blah blah ad nauseum"
Remind me again, how many aircraft are there in your fleet? <img src="rolleyes.gif" border="0"> <img src="rolleyes.gif" border="0"> <img src="rolleyes.gif" border="0">
Merry Christmas Guv.
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Power Ranger - you appear to have a very short and highly selective memory for over on the first page of this thread, you wrote:
[quote]Is it either;
1. You've got no money, or
2. You've got no money!<hr></blockquote>
As to aircraft in my fleet, well, which airline exactly are you talking about here? I have a 1/3 interest in a couple of CL44s as well as an interest in a Let 410.
So: care to respond to my little challenge then - or are you just going to shut up? <img src="rolleyes.gif" border="0"> <img src="eek.gif" border="0"> <img src="rolleyes.gif" border="0">
[quote]Is it either;
1. You've got no money, or
2. You've got no money!<hr></blockquote>
As to aircraft in my fleet, well, which airline exactly are you talking about here? I have a 1/3 interest in a couple of CL44s as well as an interest in a Let 410.
So: care to respond to my little challenge then - or are you just going to shut up? <img src="rolleyes.gif" border="0"> <img src="eek.gif" border="0"> <img src="rolleyes.gif" border="0">
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Yeah - well I've got an interest in Catherine Zeta-Jones but it don't make me Michael Douglas!!! <img src="rolleyes.gif" border="0">
[ 21 December 2001: Message edited by: PowerRanger ]</p>
[ 21 December 2001: Message edited by: PowerRanger ]</p>
