India-UAE Arms Cargo Passage Row, September 2009

1. Statement by External Affairs Minister on UAE Air Force Aircraft at Kolkata, 8 September



The UAE Embassy had sought clearance for over flying and landing of their Air Force flight at Kolkata Airport en route to Xianyuang, China. The flight arrived from Abu Dhabi at Kolkata Airport on 6th September 2009. The Captain of the flight Major Ibrahim Alshamsei filed a declaration to the Customs stating that the flight was carrying arms/ammunition/explosives. However, since at the time of initial application, no mention of the arms and ammunition was made, the authorities at Kolkata Airport detained the aircraft for further investigation. Accordingly, after the concurrence of the pilot-in-command of the aircraft, the Custom Officials entered the aircraft to inquire about the nature of cargo.

The UAE authorities both here and in Abu Dhabi have since formally regretted the omission in clearly indicating items carried by the aircraft and have described it as a ‘technical error’. They have also provided details about the cargo which consists of Combat Missile.

In the light of the above, the matter will be resolved in the spirit of the close and friendly ties between India and the UAE, and we will facilitate early release of the aircraft.

Source: Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India

http://meaindia.nic.in/



2. Arms-laden UAE plane detained in Kolkata, freed later, 7 September



Kolkata: An UAE Air Force aircraft and its nine crewmembers were detained in Kolkata on Sunday (6 September).



The aircraft, which was bound for Xianyuang in China from Abu Dhabi, was allegedly carrying a large cache of arms and ammunitions.



It landed at Kolkata’s Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport for refueling but was later detained.



Airport sources said that while customary checking of the plane it was found that a large cache of arms and ammunition was stockpiled inside the flight.



The Airport Authority of India was informed and as the UAE plane’s crew had not informed the Indian authorities about the arms the flight was cancelled and the crewmembers were detained.



However, later in the night a meeting was held among the airport authorities, custom officials, senior air force officers and the UAE crew and the aircraft was allowed to resume the flight on Monday (7 September) morning.



Source: Press Trust of India story on CNN-IBN, New Delhi

http://www.ibnlive.in.com/.../armsladen-uae-plane-detained-in-kolkata-freed-later/100827-3.html



3. Detained UAE plane refused customs men to enter aircraft, 7 September



Kolkata: The crew of the China-bound cargo plane of the UAE Air Force, which was detained here after being found carrying a large cache of arms and ammunition, had first refused customs authorities from entering the aircraft and conducting manual inspection.



"The crew at first had stopped the Customs team from entering the aircraft for manual inspection. It was then communicated that as per the country\\\\\\\'s law, the customs authorities had to check any aircraft which lands in the country," official sources said today.



Reluctantly, the crew later allowed inspection which led to the discovery of "large" cache of arms and ammunition, they said.



The C-130 plane was on its way to Xianyuang in China from Abu Dhabi and had landed at the NSC Bose International airport to refuel around 5.30 PM yesterday (6 September).



The 10 crew members were taken to a nearby hotel  and questioned by the customs officials who along with immigration officials found the plane carrying "arms and ammunition" during a routine check, Wg Cdr Mahesh Upasani, Eastern Air Command spokesman said.



The crew members did not inform in the routine declaration submitted to authorities that arms and ammunition were in the plane, which, however, had the required civil and military clearance for transit through Kolkata, Upasani said. The particular column in the proforma was left blank, he added.



Source: Zeenews.com





4. UAE aircraft detained at Kolkata, 8 September



KOLKATA: The transport aircraft belonging to the UAE Air Force and its eight crew members, detained at the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International (NSCBI) Airport here on Sunday (6 September) following the recovery of a large cache of undeclared arms and ammunition on board, are awaiting clearance from the Centre to continue their journey, airport officials said on Monday (7 September).



The plane was on its way to Xianyuang in China from Abu Dhabi and had stopped for refueling. Customs officials at the airport said that although the UAE Air Force had applied for permission for the refueling stopover and had filled up an official ‘clearance form,’ the particular column asking whether the aircraft would be carrying any arms or ammunition was left blank.



“Miscommunication”



“Prima facie it appears to be a case of miscommunication between the Indian and the UAE authorities. Interrogation of the detained crewmembers is on to find out the actual cause. They will be allowed to proceed on their journey once clearance is obtained from the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Finance,” a customs official said.



According to Defence sources, although it is permissible to carry arms and ammunition on board an international flight stopping over at an Indian airport, this has to be declared to the Indian authorities beforehand by filling up the ‘clearance form.’



Source: The Hindu, Chennai

http://www.thehindu.com/2009/09/08/.../2009090854951000.htm



5. UAE plane carrying arms detained, 8 September



Nearly 24 hours after a UAE Air Force aircraft and its crew were detained at Kolkata’s NSC Bose Airport after the plane was found carrying arms and ammunition, Customs and Airport Authority of India officials are waiting for the External Affairs and Defence Ministries’ nod to let the aircraft fly.

No “arrests or seizures” have been made yet even as the aircraft and its crew officially remained “detained” and were interrogated by the Customs and Air Force officers. “We have interrogated the crew of the UAE military aircraft and so far just detained them. We have made no arrests or seizures. It seems there was a mis-communication due to which the aircraft did not declare its arms and ammunition it was carrying,” Customs public relations officer at the NSC Bose Airport said. “We are awaiting clearance from External Affairs and Defence ministries before we can let them go.”

The aircraft, a C-130 military plane with 10 people on board, landed at the NSC Bose Airport around 5 pm on Sunday (6 September) after it requested a non-scheduled stop for re-fuelling. During checks, the plane, flying to Xianyuang International Airport in China from Abu Dhabi, was found carrying arms and explosives, in violation of the declaration it made to land. “It was a non-scheduled stop for the aircraft. And according to rules our officers checked it,” the Customs PRO said. “Though the aircraft had documents from the Union Defence Ministry allowing it to fly in the Indian airspace, there was no mention of the baggage of arms and ammunition in those documents.”



Sources said the UAE government sought permission from the Indian Air Force to let the aircraft fly in Indian airspace on September 2, which was granted.



According to rules, it is mandatory for an aircraft to declare that it is carrying arms before landing, Wing Commander Mahesh Upasani, CPRO, Ministry of Defence in Kolkata said. “The Air Force then took up the matter with the External Affairs Ministry,” Upasani said.



Sources said the External Affairs Ministry then directed the Customs officials to “detain” the plane and its crew till further orders and started high-level talks with UAE and China to resolve the impasse.

The captain of the aircraft and his nine crewmembers were detained and accommodated for the night at a private luxury hotel off EM bypass while the aircraft was sealed and parked at a bay near the airport’s hangar number 14.



Source:  The Indian Express, New Delhi

http://www.indianexpress.com/.../uae-plane-carrying-arms-detained/514333/



6. Arms-laden UAE plane for China detained, 8 September



NEW DELHI: Crew of a China-bound military aircraft belonging to the UAE air force was detained by custom authorities in Kolkata on Sunday (6 September) night after it was found laden with undeclared arms and ammunition.



The aircraft, heading for Xianyuang in China, had landed last evening for refueling. It had taken clearance from the Indian Air Force headquarters to land in Kolkata.



But the customs officials discovered arms and ammunition on board the aircraft. The crew had not disclosed to the air headquarters that the aircraft, a four-engine turbo-prop C-130, was carrying weapons and explosives.



The customs officials detained the nine-member crew. They were questioned and lodged in a hotel. An IAF official said that as per rules, the crew should have declared that the aircraft was carrying weapons and ammunition.



Till late in the evening on Monday (7 September), the aircraft was parked in a hangar at Kolkata airport as it was sealed following the inspection. The UAE air force was asked to file for a fresh application with the air headquarters in New Delhi to seek permission to fly out of India to its destination.



There is a separate procedure in place for military aircraft when they travel outside their countries. A number of countries have reservations about military aircraft passing through their airspace.



The Indian Air Force gives the permission for such transit on a reciprocal basis. When Indian air force aircraft travel abroad, they also take necessary clearance from countries enroute.



The authorities in Kolkata did not take any chance as West Bengal had experienced an incident of mysterious arms dropping in Purulia some years ago.



As far as UAE is concerned, it is a friendly country. But UAE air force has hired a number of Pakistani pilots to fly its aircraft.



Source:  The New Indian Express, Chennai

http://www.expressbuzz.com/.../story.aspx?...Arms-laden+UAE+plane...China+detained...China



7. India in touch with UAE over its arms-laden aircraft, 8 September



Kolkata: India is in touch with the UAE government over the detention of the China-bound cargo plane of its Air Force after arms and ammunition were found onboard and customs authorities were awaiting clearance before the aircraft can be allowed to resume its flight.



The interrogation of the pilot and nine crewmembers of the C-130 Hercules aircraft which remained in detention for the third day on Tuesday (8 September) have been also completed and the Customs had sent detailed reports to the External Affairs Ministry on Monday (7 September) night, airport officials said. The 10 crewmembers have been shifted to another hotel for "security reasons".



"The decision to allow the plane to take off from here (Kolkata) will be taken by the Ministry of External Affairs, which is in touch with the UAE government ...It is not certain when it would be permitted to take off," airport officials said.



The plane is parked at bay number 14 at the NSC Bose International Airport under a tight cordon by army jawans and no one is allowed to go near it, they said.



The plane, which was on its way to Xianyuang in China from Abu Dhabi, landed at the NSC Bose International airport for refueling at 1730 hrs on Sunday (6 September). Its crewmembers had not informed in their routine declaration to the airport authorities and customs that ammunition were in the plane.



An important column in the declaration format was also left blank, Army sources said.



The arms and ammunition were detected during a routine check and the plane and its crew was detained for detailed interrogation.



Source: Press Trust of India story on CNN-IBN

http://www.ibnlive.in.com/.../india-in-touch-with-uae-over-its-armsladen-aircraft/100915-2.html



8. India to aid speedy release of UAE air force plane, 8 September



NEW DELHI, Sept 8 (Reuters) - India\\\\\\\'s Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday (8 September) it would help bring about the quick release of an UAE air force plane detained in the city of Kolkata for carrying arms without prior permission.



Indian officials held the plane as it stopped to refuel from Abu Dhabi en route to China, saying they had found arms onboard which had not been declared before seeking permission to land.

In a statement released on Tuesday (8 September), the ministry said the plane\\\\\\\'s captain had told Indian customs the plane was carrying arms, ammunition and explosives, but that these had not been mentioned in an initial application.



Authorities at the airport in the country\\\\\\\'s east held the plane for further investigation.

"The UAE authorities both here (New Delhi) and in Abu Dhabi have since formally regretted the omission in clearly indicating items carried by the aircraft and have described it as a \\\\\\\'technical error\\\\\\\'," the statement said.



"In the light of the above, the matter will be resolved in the spirit of the close and friendly ties between India and the UAE, and we will facilitate early release of the aircraft."



Source: Reuters India

http://www.in.reuters.com/article/.../idINDEL51237820090908



9. UAE air force plane carrying arms, admits pilot 8 September



KOLKATA: After trying to fob off Indian officials and investigators all of Sunday (6 September)  night, one of the pilots of the UAE  air force aircraft detained at Kolkata airport since Sunday finally admitted to the plane carrying a consignment of weapons.



The C-130 Hercules among the biggest transport aircraft in the world was on its way to Xianyuang, China, from UAEAF\\\\\\\'s Western Air Command base in Abu Dhabi. Although the UAE government had the necessary clearances from Indian authorities for the flight to land in Kolkata, it had not informed that the aircraft would be carrying weapons.



Indian Customs and airport officials interrogated the nine-member crew till Monday (7 September) afternoon. After that, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) took over. Talks are on in Delhi to avert a possible diplomatic row. Officials here are tight-lipped.



On September 3, the UAE government had applied to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for a flight information centre clearance that was necessary for a military aircraft not only to overfly Indian airspace but also land at a civilian airport.



An air Defence/AOR clearance was also sought from MoD through proper channels. "As permission was sought through proper diplomatic channels and UAE is a friendly country, the clearances were given. Both applications were made in specific proformas with columns where the UAE authorities were supposed to mention if the aircraft would be carrying any weapons. These columns were marked \\\\\\\'nil\\\\\\\' in both applications. Later, it was discovered that the aircraft was indeed carrying weapons. This was in clear violation of rules and the crew was detained," said a senior officer.



The aircraft was to land in Kolkata around 4 pm on Sunday (6 September), refuel, stay for the night and take off for China at 10.30 am on Monday (7 September). Crewmembers were booked for the night at a star hotel.



It was 5.30 pm on Sunday (6 September) by the time the Hercules captain, Major Ibrahim Alshamsei, sought permission from Kolkata ATC to land. The details of what happened after this are slightly hazy. One version is that the pilot was asked upon landing whether his aircraft was carrying any weapon. He answered in the negative. But an alert Customs officer saw a sidearm on one of the crewmembers. Soon, a team from air intelligence arrived to check the plane for its cargo.



According to another version, every foreign aircraft parked in the bay overnight is checked. Customs officials accompany the crew on board for an inspection before the doors are sealed. That was when they noted something amiss.

There is a third version, which speaks of a tip received by Indian intelligence agencies from an undisclosed source.



A team from the air intelligence wing, led by B Jha, boarded the aircraft around 7 pm on Sunday (6 September) and found three boxes that resembled those for carrying rifles. The pilot admitted there were weapons inside but that he did not have any details. He allegedly told officials that he was a mere courier and would often fly weapons to China for \\\\\\\'tests\\\\\\\'.



The crew who were in military uniform were detained and led to the airport lounge. The plane was towed to hangar 14 and sealed. No effort was made to open the boxes in the cargo hold. The interrogation lasted till 2 pm on Monday (7 September) after which the nine crewmembers now in civilian clothing were transferred to a hotel. According to the customs department, the ministry of Defense would interrogate the crew there.



"Although the pilot\\\\\\\'s declaration regarding the weapons on board has dismissed the theory of the crew being involved in gun-running, the aircraft cannot be allowed to leave. All clearances granted have expired. There are some issues that still need to be checked out. We have also demanded an explanation from the UAE embassy in New Delhi," an officer said. The army is guarding the plane.



Source: The Times of India, New Delhi



http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/.../UAE-air-force-plane-carrying-arms-admits-pilot/.../4984394.cms



10. UAE apologises for aircraft row, India assures early release, 8 September



India on Tuesday (8 September) said the UAE has "apologised" for not declaring the consignment of weapons its China-bound cargo plane was carrying that led to its detention at Kolkata airport, and assured early release of the aircraft will be facilitated.



Indian authorities on Sunday (6 September) detained an UAE Air Force plane that landed in Kolkata from Abu Dhabi on its way to Xianyuang, China, after discovering arms and explosives on board.

The military transport plane, the C-130 Hercules, was allowed to land at Kolkata to refuel, but it did not declare its cargo.



The interrogation of the pilot and nine crewmembers of aircraft, however, revealed that the flight was carrying arms, ammunition and explosives. The detention of the aircraft, that entered its third day on Tuesday (8 September), was threatening to turn into a diplomatic row till the UAE authorities apologised.

Clearing the air, the external affairs ministry said on Tuesday (8 September) that the confusion arose as no mention of the arms and ammunition was made at the time of initial application for landing.

The authorities at Kolkata airport, therefore, detained the aircraft for further investigation, the ministry said.



 "Accordingly, after the concurrence of the pilot-in-command of the aircraft, the custom Officials entered the aircraft to inquire about the nature of cargo," it said in a statement...



Captain of the flight, Major Ibrahim Alshamsei has filed a declaration to the customs stating that the flight was carrying arms/ammunition/explosives. They have also provided details about the cargo which consists of combat missiles, the ministry said.



Source: The Hindustan Times, New Delhi 

http://www.hindustantimes.com/.../india/UAE-apologises-for-aircraft-row-India-assures-early-

release/Article1-451677.aspx



11. India, UAE in Talks over Detained Aircraft, 9 September



NEW DELHI — India and UAE are in crucial deliberation over a China-bound Emirati military aircraft that has been detained in Kolkata.



The Indian customs authorities found a cache of ‘undeclared’ arms and ammunition on board the plane that has been stranded since Sunday (6 September) night in the eastern city, where it had landed for refueling. The aircraft’s crew when questioned by the customs authorities said that the arms consignment was on a ‘schedule transit’ to Xianyuang in China from Abu Dhabi.



Earlier, the UAE Foreign Ministry’s Director General Juma Al Junaibi, in a statement issued to the WAM news agency in Abu Dhabi late on Monday (7 September) said the Ministry “is in constant contact with the Indian government to follow up the issue.”



He also stressed the deep-rooted relations between the UAE and India and reiterated UAE’s respect for the sovereignty of India.



Top government authorities were quoted in Indian media reports as saying the arms consignment was not declared to the customs officers, apparently because of some ‘communication gap’ on the part of the UAE authorities.



India’s customs rules say that if an airplane is carrying such a consignment, and seeks permission to land in India for refueling or any other technical reason, it requires a ‘military clearance’ for transit and not a ‘civilian clearance’.



“The UAE airplane did not make such a declaration. The plane was undergoing routine check when it was found that there were arms and ammunition on board,” a Ministry of Defence spokesperson was quoted in media reports. Meanwhile, according to an agency report, India’s Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday (8 September) it would help bring about the quick release of the UAE air force plane.



Source: Khaleej Times Online

http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?col



12. UAE apologises, plane let off, 9 September



NEW DELHI: Before the issue could spiral into a diplomatic row, India on Tuesday (8 September) said it was releasing the UAE military aircraft it had detained at Kolkata Airport.



The Indian announcement came after the UAE authorities expressed regrets over a ‘technical error’ their initial failure to declare that the China-bound C-130 Hercules transport plane was carrying arms and ammunition. The cargo included at least one missile.



External Affairs Minister S M Krishna said, “The matter now will be resolved in the spirit of the close and friendly ties between India and the UAE, and we will facilitate early release of the aircraft”. The External Affairs Ministry clarified that the issue was not the weapons on board, but the fact that they were not mentioned in the initial UAE application seeking clearance for the Air Force plane to fly over India and land in Kolkata, en route to Xianyuang in China.



At the Kolkata Airport the captain of the flight from Abu Dhabi, Major Ibrahim Alshamsei, filed a declaration with the customs stating that the plane carried ‘arms, ammunition and explosives’.



But since this had not been mentioned in the initial application submitted by the UAE embassy, the authorities at the Kolkata Airport detained the plane for further investigation, the Minister said in a statement...



Source: The New Indian Express, Chennai  

http://www.expressbuzz.com/.../story.aspx?...UAE+apologises,+plane+let+off...UAE



13. MEA to facilitate release of arms-laden UAE plane, 9 September



NEW DELHI: External affairs minister S M Krishna on Tuesday (8 September) said his Ministry would facilitate early release of the UAE Air.



Force plane that was detained in Kolkata after arms and ammunition were found on board.



The decision to facilitate early release of the China-bound plane was taken after the UAE government and embassy in New Delhi “formally regretted” not divulging contents of the cargo and that matter was reduced to a “technical error”.



“The UAE authorities both here and in Abu Dhabi have since formally regretted the omission in clearly indicating items carried by the aircraft and have described it as a ‘technical error’. They have also provided details about the cargo which consists of combat missile,” Mr Krishna said.



The UAE embassy had asked for clearance for overflying and landing of the Air Force flight at Kolkata Airport, but made no mention of the contents of the cargo. The C-130 Hercules, which is among the biggest transport aircraft in the world, had taken off from UAEAF’s Western Air Command base in Abu Dhabi and was on its way to Xianyuang in China.



When the flight arrived from Abu Dhabi on September 6, captain of the flight, Major Ibrahim Alshamsei, filed a declaration to Customs saying that the flight was carrying “arms/ ammunition/explosives”, Mr Krishna said in the statement. Following this, the plane was detained at Kolkata Airport as the initial application made no mention of arms or ammunition.



The captain and the nine crewmembers were detained and interrogated following which Customs sent a detailed report to the external affairs ministry. India continued to remain in close touch with the UAE government. Based on the contents of the Customs report followed by the clarification and regret expressed by the UAE authorities, MEA decided to facilitate the release of the plane.



Source: The Economic Times, New Delhi

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/.../MEA-to-facilitate-release-of-arms-laden-UAE-plane/.../4988481.cms



14. India to release UAE plane, 9 September



India on Tuesday (8 September) agreed to release the UAE Air Force plane detained in Kolkata for the last three days after UAE regretted its mistake of not declaring that the plane was carrying arms.

A statement from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said New Delhi would “facilitate early release of the aircraft” and resolve the matter “in the spirit of the close and friendly ties between India and the UAE”.



The UAE plane, en route to Xianyuang, China, from Abu Dhabi was detained at the NSC Bose International Airport on Sunday (6 September) after it became known that it was carrying arms but had not declared so in the application seeking permission to refuel in India.



“The UAE authorities both here and in Abu Dhabi have since formally regretted the omission in clearly indicating items carried by the aircraft and have described it as a ‘technical error’. They have also provided details about the cargo which consists of combat missile,” the MEA statement said.

According to MEA officials, they are reviewing the reports of intelligence agencies. The aircraft may take off by Wednesday (9 September) afternoon, they said. “We will try to complete all the formalities by Wednesday morning. If we are able to do so, the flight will take off in the afternoon,” added the official.



MEA and customs have ruled out the possibility of seizure of arms or arrest of any crewmember of the UAE plane. “There is no question of seizure of the arms and arresting any crew member. We will let the flight take off once we get the order from the ministries. We have found the passports and visas of the crew to be valid and authorized by the UAE government,” said a customs official in Kolkata.

The customs officials haven’t gone inside the aircraft to check the arms it is carrying. “Since the aircraft is authorised by the UAE and China governments, we did not step inside the plane,” said the customs official.



Source: The Indian Express, New Delhi

http://www.indianexpress.com/.../india-to-release-uae-plane



15. UAE Air Force plane cordoned off, interrogation of crew over, 9 September



The China-bound UAE airforce cargo plane continues to be cordoned off by the army at the NSC Bose International airport here even as the MEA has been informed of the arms and ammunition in it.

The interrogation of its 10 crewmembers was over and they have been shifted to another hotel for "security reasons", airport officials said today.



"The decision to allow the plane to take off from here will be taken by the Ministry of External Affairs, which is in touch with the UAE government ... It is not certain when it would be permitted to take off," the officials said.



The plane is parked at bay number 14 under tight cordon by army jawans and no one is allowed to go near it, they said. The C-130 plane was on its way to Xianyuang in China from Abu Dhabi when it landed at the NSC Bose International airport for refueling at 5.30 pm on Sunday (6 September).



The arms and ammunition were detected in it during the routine physical check following which the plane and the crew on board were detained for detailed interrogation, customs authorities said. The UAE plane was granted permission to land by the Indian Air Force after the Air Traffic Control contacted the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, which asked it to get in touch with the IAF.



Source: The Indian Express, New Delhi 

http://www.expressindia.com/.../UAE-airforce-plane-cordoned-off-interrogation-of-crew-over/514385/



16. Arms-laden UAE Air Force aircraft given clearance to leave, 9 September



India tonight cleared the China-bound cargo plane of UAE\\\\\\\'s Air Force in which arms and ammunition were found to leave the country after being detained in Kolkata for four days for carrying arms and ammunition.

The External Affairs Ministry has given the green signal to the Ministry of Defence and Customs authorities that the C-130 Hercules plane can be allowed to leave the NSC Bose International Airport, official sources said. The aircraft has been grounded since Sunday (6 September) evening.



Airport sources in Kolkata said the airplane which had 10 crewmembers including the pilot, who were thoroughly interrogated, is likely to resume its flight on Thursday (10 September) at around 9 AM. The flight originated from UAE Capital Abu Dhabi.



The Indian government gave the clearance a day after it said that it was told by UAE authorities that its pilot had committed a "technical error" over declaring the on-board arms and ammunition for which they expressed regret.



An External Affairs Ministry statement said on Tuesday (8 September) the matter will be resolved in the spirit of the close and friendly ties between India and the UAE and that "we will facilitate early release of the aircraft."



The statement said the UAE authorities both in New Delhi and Abu Dhabi have since formally regretted the omission in clearly indicating items carried by the aircraft and have described it as a "technical error."

External Affairs Minister S M Krishna had also said that in view of the "friendly relations" India had with the UAE he was in consultation with other departments of the government and take a call.



Source: The Hindustan Times, New Delhi

http://www.hindustantimes.com/.../Arms-laden-UAE...aircraft-given-clearance-to-leave/.../H1-Article1-452048.aspx



17. Sleuths at sea over UAE plane\\\\\\\'s mission, 9 September



New Delhi: Interrogators are still clueless as to where the arms-carrying UAE Air Force plane was headed and who supplied the weapons. The C-130 Hercules aircraft stopped for fuel at Netaji Subhash International Airport on Sunday (6 September) and was detained after officials found weapons in it during a routine check. Significantly, the crew did not disclose in the transit form that there were weapons in the plane.



A highly placed source in the home ministry said that the 10 crewmembers were not able to shed light on who supplied the arms and where the plane was going. Though the UAE government had secured permission for refueling at Kolkata, it did not reveal that the plane was carrying arms.



Even more worrying is the fact that documents with the crew do not mention where the consignment is to be delivered. "The documents simply say that the plane was bound for China. The crew, however, have reportedly said that Xianyuang was the destination," he added.



Even after hours of interrogation, the crews have not been able to say who was to receive the consignment that contains explosives, ammunition and three boxes of guns. The Chinese government\\\\\\\'s silence on whether the package was meant for them has raised doubts on whether the aircraft was actually going to Xianyuang or any other place in China.



Investigators from the customs department and the Defence and external affairs ministries are unable to figure out why such a small consignment should be sent to a country that is one of the biggest arms exporters in the world. “This has raised serious doubts about the motive of the aircraft’s mission,” he said. The UAE government authorities were reportedly in touch with their Indian counterparts. Efforts were being made to sort out the mess at diplomatic levels.



Source: Daily News and Analysis, Mumbai

http://www.dnaindia.com/.../report_sleuths-at-sea-over-uae-plane-s-mission_1288627



18. Egypt ammo on UAE aircraft? 9 September



KOLKATA: Part of the cargo that the UAE Air Force C-130 Hercules aircraft, now parked in a remote bay near hangar 14 at Kolkata airport, could be ammunition procured from Egypt. This was allegedly being transported to Xianyuang in China.



This was revealed in a document that the customs department seized from the crew of the aircraft during interrogation. According to this document, an agreement exists between China and UAE through which, the former supplies weapons in return for ammunition from Egypt.



While this may have solved the mystery behind the ammunition in the cargo hold, officials are still not sure about the contents of three metal boxes that were also found. While the crew said that these boxes contained explosives, no details were provided as to their nature. In its report, the customs department has clearly mentioned that the cargo is hot\\\\\\\'. This implies that it consists of ammunition and explosives.



In a statement released in Delhi by the external affairs ministry, it has been confirmed that the aircraft is carrying weapons which include "combat" missiles.



The unknown cargo has led to an impasse as India cannot be party to transit or proliferation of any banned material\\\\\\\' through its soil. "If the goods in the boxes are illegal, diplomatic immunity will not work despite the friendly relations between the two nations," a source said.



If UAE refuses to disclose the mysterious contents, India may have to cancel the flight plan of the aircraft to China and escort\\\\\\\' it back to the edge of Indian airspace over Arabian Sea. Indian Air Force fighter jets may do the escorting through Indian territory. According to Defence Ministry sources, they have not yet received any instructions to clear the aircraft.



Even as the UAE embassy is trying to pass off the incident as just a faux pas by an inexperienced employee, Indian authorities are trying to find out why the aircraft chose this particular flight path on its way to China.



"The aircraft could easily have flown across Pakistan and the area bordering Afghanistan into China. Did it avoid that route as US forces are active in the area?" an officer wondered.



Indian immigration authorities made it clear on Tuesday (8 September) that the nine persons who landed in trouble after touching down at Kolkata on Sunday evening could leave if they wished to. But they would have to take a commercial jet instead of the C-130 Hercules. The team, all confirmed as UAEAF personnel, has refused to leave the country without the aircraft.



The nine-member team has been stranded in Kolkata for over 60 hours now following the aircraft\\\\\\\'s seizure by Indian Customs officers on charges of issuing false declaration.



Army intelligence officers are probing the role of a Delhi-based private agency that had made the flight arrangements and organised ground handling by Air India during its touchdown in Kolkata.



Source: The Times of India, New Delhi

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...-/Egypt-ammo-on-UAE-aircraft/.../4988323.cms



19. Arms laden UAE plane gets nod to leave, 9 September



Sources say that the China-bound UAE Air Force aircraft detained at the NSC Bose International airport in Kolkata after arms and ammunition were found on board as the Customs authorities has been allowed to leave India. It is said that the Defence Ministry has been told to leave the plane after the crew were found to be cooperative. The UAE has expressed regret over the incident.



The C-130 Hercules aircraft has been waiting to resume its flight for the past four days.



An External Affairs Ministry statement yesterday said that the UAE authorities, both in New Delhi and Abu Dhabi, had formally regretted the omission of items carried by the aircraft and had described it as a ‘technical error’.



Interrogation of the pilot and nine crewmembers of the aircraft had already been completed and the Customs had sent detailed reports to the External Affairs Ministry, airport sources said.



The plane was on a scheduled transit halt in Kolkata.



Source: The Times of India, New Delhi



http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/.../Arms-laden-UAE-plane-gets-nod-to-leave/.../4990900.cms



20. Detained UAE plane to take off today, 10 September



Kolkata: The detained UAE aircraft with arms and ammunition on board will finally take off from the NSC Bose International Airport around 9 am on Thursday (10 September) following a clearance sent to the Customs department here from the Ministry of External Affairs and the Defence Ministry.

Earlier, a team of Research and Analysis Wing officials landed here to investigate and submit a report to the MEA about the detained aircraft.



In a statement the day before, the MEA had said that the UAE government had written to the Government of India and clarified that the discrepancies in declaration given for the aircraft using Indian airspace and refueling at Kolkata airport was a mistake and not deliberately done.



Source:  The Indian Express, New Delhi

http://www.indianexpress.com/.../detained-uae...to-take-off.../515305/



21. Grounded arms-laden UAE plane takes off for China, 10 September



KOLKATA: The detained cargo plane of UAE\\\\\\\'s Air Force in which arms and ammunition were found took off for China\\\\\\\'s Xianyuang city on Thursday (10 September) after being grounded here for four days.



The China-bound plane was detained here for not declaring the consignment it was carrying.



Airport sources said the airplane carrying 10 crewmembers, including the pilot, took off at 9.30 am.



A Defense spokesman said here that the clearance for the plane was received from the Air Headquarters late last night.



The External Affairs Ministry had last night given the green signal to the Ministry of Defense and Customs authorities that the C-130 Hercules plane could be allowed to leave the NSC Bose International Airport.



The aircraft was grounded here since Sunday (6 September) evening and its crewmembers interrogated.



The Indian government gave the clearance after it was told by UAE authorities that its pilot had committed a "technical error" over declaring the on-board arms and ammunition for which they expressed regret.



The External Affairs Ministry had said in a statement that the matter will be resolved in the spirit of the close and friendly ties between India and the UAE.



The statement said the UAE authorities both in New Delhi and Abu Dhabi have since formally regretted the omission in clearly indicating items carried by the aircraft and have described it as a "technical error."



The plane, which had originated from UAE capital Abu Dhabi, had made a scheduled transit halt here for refueling on Sunday (6 September) when the consignment was detected.



Source:  The Times of India, New Delhi

http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/.../Grounded-arms-laden-UAE-plane-takes-off-for-China/.../4993349.cms



22. UAE aircraft carrying Harpoons to China? 10 September



KOLKATA: What is the mysterious weapons cargo in the China-bound UAE Air Force’s C-130 Hercules aircraft detained at Kolkata airport since Sunday (6 September)?



Defense and intelligence sleuths say it could be a sophisticated US-made weapons system, which explains the unconcealed concern of the Indian authorities and the silence on the part of the UAE government.



UAE authorities applied to the Indian government to get the plane released on Wednesday (9 September) evening — nearly 72 hours after it was detained. The plane has been given a take-off slot of 9.30am on Thursday (10 September) for China’s Xianyuang.



Sources confirmed that the three mysterious boxes in the aircraft contain ‘‘combat missiles’’ but were mum on the details. Defence and intelligence sleuths, probing the case, don’t rule out the possibility of the deadly US-made Harpoon missiles being channelised to China from UAE and Egypt.



If what Indian investigators suspect is true, the unauthorized proliferation could lead to regional imbalances and trigger a crisis. ‘‘This is serious. Already, there are reports of Pakistan having modified Harpoon missiles to strike land targets in India,’’ an analyst pointed out.



Source: The Times of India, New Delhi

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/.../UAE-aircraft-carrying-Harpoons-to-China/.../4992834.cms



23. Strategic ministries feign ignorance about plane release, 10 September.



New Delhi: India’s two strategic ministries, the Defence and the Home, have been pushed into silence over the “diplomatic” release of a planeload of arms, missiles, ammunition and explosives, which a UAE military aircraft was ferrying to China. The plane flew off from Kolkata this morning.



It was not allowed to fly over Indian land fearing a “Purulia arms drop” kind of situation in the northeast. Rather it flew over the Bay of Bengal as it was carrying explosives, confirmed a source. The plane, a C-130 Hercules transporter, had been detained on Sunday (6 September) night at Kolkata where it had landed for re-fuelling.



Senior officials in both ministries are tightlipped over the developments and are feigning ignorance about the incident. Sources confirmed that clutch of security agencies handled by these two ministries were clearly “unhappy” and were under immense pressure to keep quiet. The “diplomatic” channels of a “friendly” country were working overtime to let-off the plane which surely was in the “suspicious” category, said a source.



Strangely, officials of both ministries today denied having any knowledge about the nature of cargo on board the plane. This is despite the fact that sleuths of the Intelligence bureau had boarded the plane and interrogated the nine-member crew. The military liaison unit at the Kolkata airport also inspected the cargo. Besides this a team of the customs department that comes under the finance ministry also inspected the cargo.



The pilot has reportedly told investigators that he was a mere “courier” and would often fly weapons to China for “testing”, sources said while pointed out that the plane was released even as several questions remained unanswered. Crucially, the origin of the cargo and its destination were doubtful. Was it a covert operation of some other country’s agency that was exposed accidentally by Indian agencies?



Suspicion is that part of the weapons could be US-made sophisticated weapons and were being procured by China for “reverse engineering”. This is a process by which China even engineered, rather “copied” Russian fighter aircraft a few years ago. Some of this could be the very latest in weaponry and could alter the regional balance and may spell trouble form India.



It is still not clear as to why did the plane not reveal its cargo or its point of destination (the city) in China. Two days ago, External Affairs Minister SM Krishna had accepted the plea of the UAE government that it was a “technical error”. It was only on landing here that the pilot declared his cargo.



The plane was carrying rifles, explosives and combat missiles. It has carrying capacity of more than 85 tonnes and was packed to the top, said a source. The plane cargo hold was not secured and sealed as is required under Indian law for aircraft carrying such cargo.



Agencies also believe that the cargo may not have been loaded in the UAE and the needle of suspicion is pointing to another country. It is not sure if the plane flew in to Kolkata directly from the UAE or had a halt en route.



Source: Tribune News Service, Chandigarh 

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20090911/main3.htm



24. Arms-laden UAE aircraft leaves Kolkata, 11 September



KOLKATA: The UAE Air Force aircraft, detained at the Netaji Subash Chandra Bose International Airport here on September 6 for carrying undeclared arms and ammunition, took off on Thursday (10 September) morning, after clearance from the Ministry of Defence, R. Sreenivasan, director of the airport, told The Hindu.

Defence sources said a routine check was conducted again by Customs officials, following which the Indian Air Force filed a flight plan for the aircraft and gave it the clearance to resume its journey to Xianyuang in China.



The aircraft was not escorted by any IAF aircraft, as was said earlier, the sources said.

The detection of undeclared arms and ammunition on board the C130 Hercules aircraft caused a flutter. The UAE authorities did not declare them when they sought permission for transit stopover here. After the aircraft was detained, the nine crewmembers were interrogated.



The Ministry of External Affairs took up the matter with the UAE. The clearance was issued after the UAE tendered a formal apology.



Source: The Hindu. Chennai

http://www.thehindu.com/2009/09/11/.../2009091156101100.htm



25. China: Plane detention an espionage attempt, 13 September



Beijing has taken strong exception to the detention of a China-bound UAE Air Force aircraft at Kolkata airport earlier this week. It called the incident an attempt by Indian officials "to spy on Chinese military secrets".



"It (the detention of the aircraft) violated diplomatic rights because the cargo on board belonged to China," said Global Times, a Chinese Communist Party-owned English newspaper.



The report, quoting Dai Xu, whom the daily identified as a military expert, added that the arms were being taken back to China from Abu Dhabi after a weapon expo.



The C-130 Hercules among the biggest transport aircraft in the world was on its way to Xianyuang, China, from UAEAF\\\\\\\'s Western Air Command base in Abu Dhabi and detained at Kolkata airport on September 6. After trying to fob off Indian officials and investigators, one of the pilots of the aircraft admitted that the plane was carrying a consignment of weapons.



The plane was seized by Customs authorities as the documentation submitted prior to its arrival did not disclose the cargo. The technical halt for refueling and giving the crew rest was originally scheduled for 13 hours, but stretched to 88 hours. The aircraft finally took off for Xianyuang at 9.24 am on Thursday (10 September).



The UAE government is said to have apologized for failing to report weapons in the China-bound C-130 Hercules detained last Sunday (6 September). India considered the matter sympathetically to avoid a diplomatic row as UAE has friendly relations with the country.



The matter could have been resolved earlier had conventional weapons been on board. But the presence of three boxes marked "combat missiles" led to the logjam. Sleuths suspected that deadly US-made Harpoon missiles were being channelised to China from UAE and Egypt.



The row broke out as a September 10 article in Global Times (a Chinese Communist Party-owned English newspaper) reflected Beijing\\\\\\\'s displeasure on recent Indian media reports on Chinese military incursions in Ladakh. The piece on the detention of the Hercules, titled "China refutes trespass claims", was in the same article, which came with a sub-heading "Weapon secrets leaked?"



Indian intelligence officials said the newspaper voices Beijing\\\\\\\'s "official sentiment" on issues for global readership as well as for creating opinion in China\\\\\\\'s favour. "The UAE airplane was on a mission transporting Chinese weapons from an arms expo in Abu Dhabi. When the airplane stopped in Kolkata (on) Sunday to refuel, the UAE crew member used the empty cargo certificate it used when it flew to China to carry the weapons at the beginning," the report said.



"Any inspection on board, which may have violated China\\\\\\\'s property rights and constituted spying on its military secrets, should be approved by both UAE and China," it added.



Incidentally, the report also carried statements of the Indian external affairs ministry. "The Indian government detained the plane (on) Sunday (6 September) when it discovered arms and explosives on board without an earlier declaration of its cargo. Accordingly, after the concurrence of the pilot-in-command of the aircraft, Customs officials entered the aircraft to inquire about the nature of the cargo."



Source: The Times of India, New Delhi

http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...-/China-Plane-detention-an-espionage-attempt/.../5004376.cms

 

Chronology of Events

2 September - UAE Air Force seeks permission to overfly Indian airspace for its flight to Xianyuang in China.

6 September - An UAE Air Force plane lands in Kolkata for refuelling.

7 September - Upon inspection it was discovered that the plane was carrying undisclosed arms cargo and hence was detained in the Kolkata airport.

8 September - Officials of India and UAE were in touch over the detained plane and its speedy release; pilots admitted that the plane carries arms and ammunitions; UAE apologises to India for not disclosing the contents of the cargo.

9 September - Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to facilitate early release of the plane after UAE’s apology; the plane gets green signal to leave for its destination.

10 September - The aircraft finally takes off for China.



***



N Alvite is a Research Intern at Middle East Institute @ New Delhi



The views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views/position of the MEI@ND. Editor, MEI Digest:  P R Kumaraswamy