This photo included in court documents obtained by The Associate
Press, an image intercepted in a Sept. 16, 2006 e-mail, shows samples
of Chinese-made assault rifles offered by an alleged Italian arms
trafficking ring in a huge attempted sale of arms to Libya.
Authorities shadowed the yearlong negotiations between Libyan
officials and a local group of black-market arms dealers, eventually
moving in to arrest the Italians and break up a US$64 million deal,
which would have put hundreds of thousands of Chinese-made assault
rifles in Tripoli's hands. According to court documents obtained by
The Associated Press, at least part of the shipment was expected to go
to third countries. Experts say the arms were likely destined for
troubled African hot spots, such as Chad and Sudan, underscoring
Tripoli's bid to increase its influence on the continent as it returns
to the world stage.
(AP Photo/Handout)
Source: Associated Press
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