RESULTS OF BLUE LANTERN CHECK ON APPLICATION

UNCLAS SINGAPORE 000204

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR PM/DTTC PETER DADE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETRD ETTC ECON KOMC SN
SUBJECT: RESULTS OF BLUE LANTERN CHECK ON APPLICATION
05-1013938

REF: STATE 204108


1. As requested, Post made inquiries to verify the bona
fides of Champ Components Pte Ltd and confirm the legitimacy
of the order listed reftel.


2. Champ Components Pte Ltd is a limited exempt private
company that has been operating in Singapore since January
30, 2004. Singapore's online business directory, Biznet,
lists the company's principle officers as:

Name: NG Meng Heok (aka Julian Ng)
Nationality: Singaporean
ID: S7012517Z
Address: 49 Lorong 5, Toa Payoh, #07-71, Singapore, 310049

Name: NEU Eng Keong
Nationality: Singaporean
ID: S7007998D
Address: 979C Buangkok Crescent, #04-105, Singapore, 533979


3. DHS/ICE databases revealed no negative information about
Champ Components Pte Ltd.


4. Econoff on January 12 attempted to visit Champ Components
at the address listed reftel. An employee told Econoff that
Julian Ng was not available, but produced a Champ Components
business card with Ng's contact information. (Note: The sign
on the door indicated the office was occupied by a business
called Micromspec. End note.) Via telephone, Ng explained
that he leased office space to Micromspec. Ng said that
Champ Components was a trading company that dealt primarily
with aerospace and defense customers. Although it was not
listed on the license application, Ng said that the end-user
for the hard disk in question was ST Aerospace. ST Aerospace
is a division of ST Engineering, a publicly listed company in
which Temasek, the Singapore government's holding company,
owns a majority interest. In addition to its other
businesses, ST Engineering handles many, if not most, of the
Singapore Armed Forces procurement contracts. According to
Ng, ST Aerospace's specifications for a replacement hard disk
led to his application to import a higher grade,
U.S.-manufactured part. Ng claimed he did not know how the
hard disk would be used and recommended that Econoff contact
ST Aerospace directly.


5. An ST Aerospace representative confirmed the order placed
through Champ Components. The hard disk would be used in a
mobile satellite communications unit, hence the need for a
disk with a higher vibration tolerance than was available off
the shelf, he said.


7. Champ Components appeared to be a small but legitimate
trading company with a justifiable explanation for its order.
However, it is not clear why Champ Components failed to
indicate the correct end-user (ST Aerospace) on its
application, especially since the Singapore Armed Forces are
frequent recipients of USML goods.
HERBOLD