Illegal exports of night-vision gear on rise

[unhappycamper]

Illegal exports of night-vision gear on rise
By Peter Eisler - USA TODAY
Posted : Wednesday May 14, 2008 22:15:49 EDT

WASHINGTON — Thefts and illegal exports of advanced military night-vision gear are rising sharply and U.S. officials say some of the equipment has reached enemies in Afghanistan and Iraq, where it can erode the advantage U.S. troops have in after-dark combat.

The government has prosecuted more than two dozen businesses and individuals over the past 18 month for stealing night-vision gear or skirting prohibitions on foreign sales, according to a USA TODAY review of federal documents and public records.

In at least five cases, prosecutors linked shipments to terrorist groups, such as al-Qaida and Hezbollah. A few others were headed to Iran and Taliban forces in Afghanistan, court records show; several were destined for China and Japan.

“It’s extremely serious — you’re talking about adversaries of the United States getting equipment that we make to give our soldiers an advantage in the field,” says Charles Beardall, the Pentagon’s deputy inspector general for investigations.

The Pentagon joined the departments of Justice, Homeland Security, Commerce and State last year in a crackdown on illegal exports of combat-use military items and sensitive civilian goods with military uses. Night-vision goggles, scopes and cameras used by U.S. troops account for more cases than any other technology, says Steven Pelak, Justice’s export enforcement coordinator.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/05/gns_nightvision_051508/