IRANIANS INSPECT BELL HELICOPTERS IN SWEDEN

S E C R E T STOCKHOLM 000423


E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/09/2018
TAGS: ETRD ETTC KOMC MCAP PARM IR SW

SUBJECT: IRANIANS INSPECT BELL HELICOPTERS IN SWEDEN

REF: STOCKHOLM (06) 243

Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Robert Silverman
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (U) This is an action request. Please see paragraph 5.


2. (S) In early May, post received the first of three
unsolicited e-mails from Arnold Sundquist, a naturalized U.S.
citizen resident in Sweden and employee of Stockholm-based
European Helicopter Service Sweden. The e-mails state that
he was concerned about four Bell 212 helicopters, originally
from Israel, but currently in Sweden for maintenance and
repairs. Sundquist explained that the helicopters had been
in Sweden for a "few months," and that he had been asked by
GAM-Aviation, a Spanish subsidiary of European Helicopter
Service, to begin making plans to ship the helicopters first
to Norway, then back to Sweden for onward transportation to
Spain. When Sundquist pointed out that the helicopters
required an export permit from the U.S. Department of State
before they could be shipped to Spain, a GAM-Aviation
employee said: "Don't worry about that. It's all part of the
EU and no one will find out anyway."


3. (S) Sundquist also said by e-mail that prior to this
request, four Iranian nationals had spent the "better part of
two days" inspecting the helicopters in the hanger where they
are stored. This originally aroused Sundquist's suspicion,
but he did not act until he received requests shortly
thereafter to have the helicopters moved. In subsequent
e-mails from GAM-Aviation (included in the chain of three
e-mails sent by Sundquist to post),an employee in the
Spanish company inquired about the process for obtaining an
export permit to ship the helicopters to Spain, and about
Sundquist's "real possibility" of purchasing "parts and
components" for Bell 412 and 206 helicopters directly from
Bell. Sundquist was offered by the Spanish company up to
four percent commission on anything he could purchase and was
instructed to consider the e-mail and offer "strictly
confidential."


4. (S) Comment: The previous Deputy Economic Counselor in
Stockholm called Sundquist "knowledgeable and adventurous."
Sundquist, who claims to have been a former Air America pilot
in Laos, has provided accurate information regarding Iranian
efforts to purchase Bell Helicopters in the past (Reftel).
End Comment.


5. (S) Post requests guidance on how to proceed this issue.
WOOD


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