RESULTS OF BLUE LANTERN CHECK ON APPLICATIONS

UNCLAS SINGAPORE 000135 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR PM/DTTC BLUE LANTERN COORDINATOR E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ETTC ETRD ECON KOMC SN SUBJECT: RESULTS OF BLUE LANTERN CHECK ON APPLICATIONS 05-0025461 AND 05-0025462 REF: STATE 1485 ¶1. As requested, Post made inquiries to verify the bona fides of Litebub Technologies and confirm the legitimacy of the order listed reftel. ¶2. Litebub Technologies is a sole proprietorship that has been operating in Singapore since January 1, 2004. Singapore's online business directory, Biznet, lists the company's principal officers as: Name: LOH Chuun-Ming (aka Bryan Phillip Loh) Nationality: Singaporean ID: S7932960F Address: 94 Taman Permata, Yew Lian Park, Singapore, 575217 ¶3. DHS/ICE databases revealed no negative information about Litebub Technologies. ¶4. Econoff on January 12 attempted to visit Litebub Technologies at the address listed reftel. The address was a private home located in a residential neighborhood, and a person who identified himself as Bryan Loh was sitting in a car in the driveway. Loh informed Econoff he was on his way to a meeting and asked if we could speak later in the day via telephone. ¶5. According to Loh, Litebub mainly provided information technology (IT) services, but occasionally brokered transactions with the Indonesian Air Force (IAF). Loh said he became involved in spare parts brokering through his father. Litebub did not use an intermediate consignee and dealt directly with the IAF. Loh said the company did not warehouse any items, and the parts in questions would not leave the Changi Airport Free Trade Zone as they transit Singapore on their way to Indonesia. Aside from the IAF, Loh reported that Litebub's other customers were small and medium enterprises (SME) in Singapore that require IT services. Loh said that he worked from home and also kept company records there. Litebub had been involved in "a few" transactions with the IAF over the last six months, he continued. Loh admitted that he was not particularly familiar with restrictions on USML items and relied on his U.S. suppliers for information. ¶6. In Post's assessment, Litebub appears to be a bona fide IT services provider, and the proposed transactions with the IAF seem legitimate. However, in light of Loh's apparent ignorance of USML restrictions and his inexperience in dealing with listed items, we have strong concerns regarding the current license applications. FERGIN