[SIZE=+1]‘Bizarre' fed case moving forward[/SIZE]
Indictments handed up in government's investigation of Security Aviation
February 26, 2006
MARY AMES
Frontiersman reporter
ANCHORAGE - The federal government on Wednesday moved forward with indictments of an Eagle River man and an aviation company with a hangar at the Palmer airport.
A grand jury handed up indictments of Robert Kane, 37, and his employer, Security Aviation, that included charges of possession and transportation of an unregistered destructive device, referencing two “rocket pod launchers” that could have been, but were not, hung under the wings of the company's Czechoslovakian-built L-39 jets, according to a report from the U.S. Attorney's Office. Kane and Security Aviation also were charged with attempted possession of a destructive device and Kane is charged with conspiring with known or unknown individuals to obtain four “rocket pod launchers.”
Security Aviation continues with business as normal, flying air charters and medevac flights daily, according to Craig Wolter, director of operations for Security Aviation.
“It's all a little bizarre, isn't it?” Wolter said. “Basically, we're very disappointed it's going the way it is. It's too bad the government has decided this is what they need to do about items that were demilitarized before they came into the country. They were intended for nothing other than static display. This is some sort of comment on times we live in, and it's finally catching up to Alaska.”
A group of agencies - including the FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division, U.S. Marshals Service, Alaska State Troopers and the Alaska Joint Terrorism Task Force - conducted the investigation and confiscated the two devices.
The Warbirds of America, a nonprofit organization that promotes and encourages the preservation and safe operation of ex-military aircraft, is part of the Experimental Aircraft Association. After Sept. 11, 2001, the EAA had to tell federal agencies how they do things, and that they pose no threat to American security.
“This is a most curious thing,” said Dick Knapinsky, EAA spokesman. “In the Warbird community, the owners take great pains that any restorations are completely demilitarized. For example, there are no detonation caps in machine gun bullets. My general understanding is that if something's not demilitarized, it can't be brought into the country. [not true-I presented that information already] But if they are fully demilitarized, I can imagine how exasperating it would be for a company.”
The report from the U.S. attorney said the indictment mentioned Security Aviation “maintained technical manuals about the operation of the L-39 military jets.”
“Of course they would,” Knapinsky said. [duhhhhhhh!!!!???]
Operation manuals are required by the Federal Aviation Administration, he said.
The feds trucked several of Security Aviation's L-39s from the Palmer airport into Anchorage in the early morning hours of Feb. 12. The two L-39s remaining at the Palmer airport don't belong to Security Aviation, Wolter said. The company was never able to make those jets airworthy and declined to purchase them, along with two other jets that were flown out of Palmer in January. One of those jets crashed in Ketchikan Jan. 25, killing the pilot.
An L-39 NATO Zuni Rocket Pod listed for sale in Pennsylvania on eBay earlier this month is no longer listed on the site. But Knapinsky said he wasn't aware of potential prosecution by the federal government shutting down any Warbird operations or sales.
“The National Warbirds Conference is going on in Florida this week, and this might come up,” he said. “I think this is one of the issues that has been come up from time to time with the heightened security awareness. It's been on everyone's mind, just like the cost of operating and cost of insurance.”
Joe Kapper, president of Security Aviation, called the indictments an unfortunate and unnecessary step, in a press release issued by the company. What the federal government labels “rocket pod launchers,” Kapper describes as “dummy rocket pods” that were advertised on eBay as demilitarized (disabled and inoperative) and appropriate for collectors. [No tax needed...not regulated]
Wolter said the time will come when he and others at Security can speak freely about the investigation.
“This is definitely a situation where we have to be very careful what we say,” Wolter said. “They seem to be able to say whatever they want. I look forward to the time when I can.”
Contact Mary Ames at
352-2284 or mary.ames@
frontiersman.com.