BLUE LANTERN HELICOPTERS: CASE TWO HUGHES

C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 001970

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DDTC: TIM WATKINS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/23/2016
TAGS: ETTC KOMC CO
SUBJECT: BLUE LANTERN HELICOPTERS: CASE TWO HUGHES
HELICOPTERS CONTINUED

REF: A. SECSTATE 22779


B. BOGOTA 1652

Classified By: AMB:WBWOOD for Reasons 1.4 (b)+(e)


1. (C) (SUMMARY): Post has confirmed the location of the
missing Hughes 500 helicopters that were being used to move
cash and valuables on the north coast of Colombia. The
helicopters in question were originally sold to the Israeli
government by the USG for military purposes but were
converted to civilian grade aircraft in 1998. The
helicopters came to Colombia on false export and
airworthiness documents issued in Israel. Post learned that
the helicopters were found in a warehouse owned by Enilse
Lopez, A.K.A. "La Gata" ("the cat"),a suspected
money-launderer with alleged ties to the paramilitaries.
Post has obtained permission to visit the site where the
helicopters are being stored in Barranquilla and plans to
visit shortly.

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HISTORY
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2.(C) The following is a time-line of how the helicopters
came to be in the possession of the Fiscalia in Barranquilla:

-- Two Hughes 500 military grade helicopters were sold to
the Israeli government in 1982 for use as ambulance
helicopters.

-- In 1998 the two helicopters were grounded by the Israeli
military for conversion to civilian aircraft and placed on
the market for sale.

-- In 2002 the Israeli government sold the helicopters to
CANWEST of Canada. CANWEST did not move the helicopters out
of Israel.

-- In 2003, CANWEST sold the helicopters to SAI (Servicios
Aeronauticos Integrales) of Mexico. SAI convertedthe
helicopters to civilian grade helicopters and moved the
helicopters from Israel to Miami on export certifications and
destination documents indicating plans to use the helicopters
in Mexico. The export and airworthiness documents were
issued in Israel under the numbers 2003-36 and 2003-37.

-- While the helicopters were still in Miami,SAI sold the
helicopters to Panama-based company, Trade Leasing and
Consulting (TLC). The general manager of TLC is a Colombian
national by the name of Francisco Alberto Restrepo Flores.
He moved the helicopters to Cartagena at the end of January

2004.
-- AvionesEjecutivos, otherwise known as AVIEL LTDA,
based in Medellin, Colombia, carried out the import
processing for TLC. Colombian Civil Aviation authorized
AVIEL a 90-day temporary certificate of airworthiness on the
condition that AVIEL obtain an H3WE from the USG. During
these 90 days, the helicopters were used by Aviel to move
valuables (mainly cash) on behalf of BancoAgrario on the
north coast of Colombia.

-- The USG-FAA did not issue Aviel the flight authorization
(H3WE) because the request stipulated a permission type 396E
which did not correspond with the type of helicopter listed
in the request, the Hughes 500.

-- Due to the USG's refusal to issue a flight authorization
(H3WE),Colombian Civil Aviation reviewed the documentation
and determined that the export and airworthiness documents
number 2003-36 and 2003-37 exhibited unauthorized
modifications. According to the Fiscalia these documents
originally indicated use in Mexico, and were later changed to
read Colombia. The Fiscalia added that according to Israeli
export authorities, these documents were never issued by the
Israeli government.

-- These irregularities led Civil Aviation of Colombia in
coordination with the Fiscalia to refuse to issue a permanent
airworthiness certificate, thus grounding both helicopters.

-- In September of 2004, the Fiscalia located the
helicopters in a warehouse owned by Uniapuesta, a company
owned by Enilse Lopez. The Fiscalia took possession of the
two helicopters and moved them to their current storage
location in Barranquilla.

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ANSWERS TO REMAINING QUESTIONS
--------------


3. The following are the remaining answers to questions from
DDTC:


Q. Prior to being brought to the court's attention, what is
the history of the helicopters and for what purpose were they
used?


A. The helicopters were first used as Israeli
military-ambulance helicopters and then in 1998 were
grounded. In early 1999 the helicopters were reconfigured
for civilian use by either CANWEST or SAI. The helicopters
remained grounded until January 2004, when AVIEL began using
the helicopters to transport money and other items of value
on behalf of BancoAgrario in the north coast area.


Q. Can the U.S. Embassy visit the site where the helicopters
are being stored?


A. The helicopters are currently being stored at the
Parqueadero Chemical in Barranquilla under the
supervision/authority of the DireccionSeccional de la
Fiscalia. The exact address is Calle 3, Via AEternit No.
66-164. The phone number of the Fiscalia in Barranquilla is
075-351-0429 (calling from Bogota) and the contact names
available for Barranquilla are Judith Valluelo Montes and
Perla Davila Martinez. The address of the Direccion
Seccional de la FiscaliaisCra 44 37-28, 2nd floor. Post
does have verbal authorization from both Hector Cruz and
Perla Davila to visit the site and is making arrangements to
do so. The purpose of the visit would be to personally
verify tail numbers and identiplates on both helicopters.

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NEXT STEPS
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4. Post intends to visit the site where the helicopters are
being stored and verify the tail numbers of said helicopters.
Post also intends to provide assistance to the Fiscalia in
Bogota to obtain answers to critical questions regarding the
documentation accompanying the helicopters in an effort to
expedite the adjudication of this case.

WOOD

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