Arrow
08-17-2002, 08:24 PM
President of Counterterrorism Consulting Firm Arrested in New
Mexico
Saturday, August 17, 2002
ROSWELL, N.M. ? Federal agents found more than 2,000 small missiles worth $54 million when they raided the workplace of a Canadian counterterrorism consultant, who was arrested, court records say.
The arrested man was identified as David Hudak, who heads HEAT, or High Energy Access Tools, an anti-terrorism and police training services company, according to a criminal complaint filed in federal court Friday.
The complaint said agents discovered the missiles in 49 explosives crates, with each crate containing 48 missiles and each missile worth $23,040. For a total of 2,352 missiles, total value is $54 million.
Hudak was arrested Thursday by immigration agents at the company's training facility, the complaint says. He was charged with possessing missiles that were not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.
Norm Cairns, spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office in Albuquerque, declined to comment. He said the investigation was ongoing.
The criminal complaint states: "The warheads are designed as military weapons to be used to defeat light armored vehicles and/or bunkers. The warheads are designed to be fired from shoulder-mounted infantry weapons. The official designation of this weapon is M141 Bunker Defeat Munition."
No launching devices for the missiles were found, according to the complaint.
The complaint said Hudak was a Canadian national who was in the United States illegally.
Agents of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms searched company facilities in Roswell and at Tinnie, about 45 miles west of Roswell, last Thursday.
Frank Fish, director of security for HEAT, said agents removed documents needed to verify whether any violations had occurred.
Fish said the agents were investigating a Technical Assistance Agreement license tied to HEAT's permit to train U.S. allies to use equipment being exported to allied nations.
The company believed the license had been obtained and proceeded under that impression, Fish said.
"We found out it wasn't done after a client came on board and we thought we filed for it somewhere between 14 weeks and three months ago," Fish said.
Fish said the company invited oversight agencies to inspect the Roswell and Tinnie sites because HEAT wanted to be sure it was compliant, and some agents accepted the invitation to investigate.
"Weve been open to every federal agency that could have anything to do with anything about what we do for a living, from the FBI, ATF, Department of State, everybody," Fish said. "We contacted everybody, saying please come on down."
Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., has asked ATF to report on what has been done so far.
HEAT is a defense contractor and speciality training development company that sells "surgical breaching explosives," used usually in SWAT scenarios, among other things. The products require training for safe use, the company says.
The United States Munitions List defines which weapons and accessories need to be monitored by the government. All involved agencies have been told to refer all media questions to the U.S. attorneys office.
Mexico
Saturday, August 17, 2002
ROSWELL, N.M. ? Federal agents found more than 2,000 small missiles worth $54 million when they raided the workplace of a Canadian counterterrorism consultant, who was arrested, court records say.
The arrested man was identified as David Hudak, who heads HEAT, or High Energy Access Tools, an anti-terrorism and police training services company, according to a criminal complaint filed in federal court Friday.
The complaint said agents discovered the missiles in 49 explosives crates, with each crate containing 48 missiles and each missile worth $23,040. For a total of 2,352 missiles, total value is $54 million.
Hudak was arrested Thursday by immigration agents at the company's training facility, the complaint says. He was charged with possessing missiles that were not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.
Norm Cairns, spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office in Albuquerque, declined to comment. He said the investigation was ongoing.
The criminal complaint states: "The warheads are designed as military weapons to be used to defeat light armored vehicles and/or bunkers. The warheads are designed to be fired from shoulder-mounted infantry weapons. The official designation of this weapon is M141 Bunker Defeat Munition."
No launching devices for the missiles were found, according to the complaint.
The complaint said Hudak was a Canadian national who was in the United States illegally.
Agents of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms searched company facilities in Roswell and at Tinnie, about 45 miles west of Roswell, last Thursday.
Frank Fish, director of security for HEAT, said agents removed documents needed to verify whether any violations had occurred.
Fish said the agents were investigating a Technical Assistance Agreement license tied to HEAT's permit to train U.S. allies to use equipment being exported to allied nations.
The company believed the license had been obtained and proceeded under that impression, Fish said.
"We found out it wasn't done after a client came on board and we thought we filed for it somewhere between 14 weeks and three months ago," Fish said.
Fish said the company invited oversight agencies to inspect the Roswell and Tinnie sites because HEAT wanted to be sure it was compliant, and some agents accepted the invitation to investigate.
"Weve been open to every federal agency that could have anything to do with anything about what we do for a living, from the FBI, ATF, Department of State, everybody," Fish said. "We contacted everybody, saying please come on down."
Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., has asked ATF to report on what has been done so far.
HEAT is a defense contractor and speciality training development company that sells "surgical breaching explosives," used usually in SWAT scenarios, among other things. The products require training for safe use, the company says.
The United States Munitions List defines which weapons and accessories need to be monitored by the government. All involved agencies have been told to refer all media questions to the U.S. attorneys office.