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Col. James Sabow suicide or Murder?--JFK Lone Nut or Government?


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I hope you will forgive me for this post. In some ways it is not off topic as some might think. Things are getting rather tight and some in the know are getting "jumpie" and rather "nervous". In my little way I post this before the fact and in hopes of my protection: This section below was published some years ago and brought back to life a few months. It seems the Pentagon shooter's computer I.D. was associated with the xxxxx who posted the article.

"...

This was from a few years ago... I place it here for background as to El Toro and Col. Sabow's murder perhaps another reason as well as other matters pertaining to drugs on base via contract C-130's.

".... (parts of testimony to the Senate is still classified. The following is a rough recap of events before various details were classified and are found hidden in dark places of the public domain.)

".......

Tosh Plumlee, one of the civilian pilots running guns for the U.S. government in the 1980s, has told this writer that he made a number of operationally approved trips to Latin America, trips that were described as “sanctioned drug interdiction operations.” These trips were approved by military intelligence personnel attached to the Pentagon, with CIA logistical support. They were made in total secrecy to the extent that other government agencies were not aware of the existence of these flights, or of the operation. The pilots were given a specific coded transponder number to squawk so their aircraft would not be challenged by U.S. Customs aircraft when patrolling the U.S. border.

When, in the 1980s, the 82nd and 101st Airborne were sent to Costa Rica for maneuvers, a great deal of weapons were sent with them. However, some of the weapons did not return to the United States and were later taken off the books by the military, marked as either lost or destroyed and reported to the Government Accounting Office as such. Plumlee and other pilots have testified to Congress that they were working for a secret U.S. military intelligence operation that clandestinely sent them from the United States to bring back the so-called damaged and disappeared weapons for retrofitting and repair.

When the weapons were repaired and tested at China Lake and Twentynine Palms, in California, they were staged and once again flown back from El Toro Marine Air Base to Latin America, via Mexico, to be supplied to the Contras, the American-financed rebel group seek- ing to overthrow the Sandinista regime in Nicaragua.

The aircraft used by this group were designated as “cutouts” and certified as belonging to the U.S. Forest Service’s air- craft fleet, but they were controlled by U.S. military intelligence, and contracted by civilian operators for whom Plumlee and other pilots worked. These pilots used secret air bases in Costa Rica, as well as on the notorious John Hall Ranch, as unloading and staging areas for the illegal weapons. They also used hidden runways in Costa Rica and El Salvador, controlled by the drug cartel, which then allowed them to bring into the United States drugs on the return trips.

These flyways and airstrips were secretly recorded by undercover flight crews and reported to various government interdiction agencies in the United States. In 1986, an early operation known by the code name, “Penetrate,” was shut down because of the politically explosive Iran-Contra matter. In 1990, however, there was still a covert weapons operation – detailed above – that continued to fly weapons to Latin America, mostly to Bogota, Columbia, which allowed the group to bring back illegal drugs into the United States via Mexico. These flyways and staging areas in Mexico were duly noted by undercover pilots and passed on to CIA and DEA personnel. According to Plumlee, an American DEA agent from Guadalajara, Mexico, by the name of Kiki Camarena, was killed because of his knowledge concerning the “CIA-Mexico” thing, as it was widely known among the covert civilian pilots.

Plumlee states that the word being spread from military personnel at El Toro through his group was that Col. Sabow had discovered illegal flights coming into El Toro Marine Air Base at 2 or 3 a.m., obviously carrying illegal contraband, and that he intended to blow the whistle. He had also heard that Col. Sabow was going to be relieved of his duties because of his intention to report the drug shipments.

Plumlee is convinced that Col. Sabow was murdered to silence him.

It is highly probable that Col. Sabow became aware of the night flights into El Toro, as his base housing was on the landing flight path. A serious hitch in the operation came when a new loadmaster assigned to El Toro complained about the unregistered planes landing at night and demanded that they be registered, but a senior officer ordered him to shut up and to stop insisting on registration. The loadmaster complained to the inspector general, which prompted the IG to come to El Toro for an investigation.

Dr. Sabow believes the inspector general was making an effort to force the officers under suspicion to resign for the good of the Corps. But because Col. Sabow knew he was clean so far as drug shipments were concerned, instead of quietly accepting the accusations, he planned to insist that a court martial be convened in order to clear his name. He was willing to expose the operation that sent American weapons into Latin America on American cargo aircraft, and he would prove that he had no hand in bringing illegal drugs into the country on return trips.

Sally Sabow, Col. Sabow’s wife, has told her brother in law that the day before her husband was killed, a senior officer had walked into Col. Sabow’s home, and, dur- ing a conversation overheard by her, she saw the officer shaking his finger in Col. Sabow’s face, shouting, “You will never go to a court martial". ...".

A repost by Tosh Plumlee (note: just to give you boys a little something to loose sleep at night.., I know where you are... SO, " lets rumble". It looks like, you guys are going to be working late these next few weeks. Remember Poinsettia? "Your Branches Speak to me of Love---- Pale moon casting Shadows from above". Come Back? )

Edited by William Plumlee
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The aircraft used by this group were designated as “cutouts” and certified as belonging to the U.S. Forest Service’s air- craft fleet, but they were controlled by U.S. military intelligence, and contracted by civilian operators for whom Plumlee and other pilots worked. These pilots used secret air bases in Costa Rica, as well as on the notorious John Hall Ranch, as unloading and staging areas for the illegal weapons. They also used hidden runways in Costa Rica and El Salvador, controlled by the drug cartel, which then allowed them to bring into the United States drugs on the return trips.

Tosh,

At the risk of going slightly off-topic, I gotta ask: did you ever get the impression

you were doing the same thing in Cuba late-50's -- running guns in, running drugs out?

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The aircraft used by this group were designated as “cutouts” and certified as belonging to the U.S. Forest Service’s air- craft fleet, but they were controlled by U.S. military intelligence, and contracted by civilian operators for whom Plumlee and other pilots worked. These pilots used secret air bases in Costa Rica, as well as on the notorious John Hall Ranch, as unloading and staging areas for the illegal weapons. They also used hidden runways in Costa Rica and El Salvador, controlled by the drug cartel, which then allowed them to bring into the United States drugs on the return trips.

Tosh,

At the risk of going slightly off-topic, I gotta ask: did you ever get the impression

you were doing the same thing in Cuba late-50's -- running guns in, running drugs out?

Drugs were not an issue in the Cuban area of the fifties and sixties. I did know we were supporting Fidel Castro at the same time we were supporting Batista. We were sending tanks, aircraft, and weapons to Batista and also (covertly) gunrunning to Castro in the mountains to help him overthrow Batista. In those days the mood was a lot different than today. However, some of the covert operations were similar in nature as today.

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Bernice; One of the first main stream media coverage of the Col Sabow murder, was the first Connie Jung, "EYE TO EYE" TV premier of which I was interviewed.., (can't remember the date but it was shortly after President Clinton was in office and his brother was also on the same program; "Roger Dodger, Clinton") There was another broadcast soon after, or before; 57th Ave, but not sure if Sabow was covered on that program or what it was about... I think it was about Contra Gun Running and secret airbases in Costa Rica. Its been awhile.

additional background reading if interested:

<a href="http://www.veteranstoday.com/2010/03/03/fo...-marine-murder/" target="_blank">http://www.veteranstoday.com/2010/03/03/fo...-marine-murder/</a>

http://www.ocweekly.com/2006-09-14/news/cocaine-airways

http://www.phoenixarchives.com/express/1991/0591/13-06.pdf

Edited by William Plumlee
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Bernice; One of the first main stream media coverage of the Col Sabow murder, was the first Connie Jung, "EYE TO EYE" TV premier of which I was interviewed.., (can't remember the date but it was shortly after President Clinton was in office and his brother was also on the same program; "Roger Dodger, Clinton") There was another broadcast soon after, or before; 57th Ave, but not sure if Sabow was covered on that program or what it was about... I think it was about Contra Gun Running and secret airbases in Costa Rica. Its been awhile.

additional background reading if interested:

<a href="http://www.veteranstoday.com/2010/03/03/fo...-marine-murder/" target="_blank">http://www.veteranstoday.com/2010/03/03/fo...-marine-murder/</a>

http://www.ocweekly.com/2006-09-14/news/cocaine-airways

http://www.phoenixarchives.com/express/1991/0591/13-06.pdf

Dr. Sabow met with Maxine Waters in 1996. He told us that: “I appeared with Maxine Waters at a rally that was organized by a group headed by Mike Rupert. The group flew me to LAX and drove me to a small house in South Central where I met others who were to speak at the rally on the following day. We spoke from the steps of the LA Municipal Bldg (I call it the Dragnet Building) and then marched in downtown LA for a few blocks. The park in front of the Municipal building was crowded with people from South Central. Still being naive, I thought it quite odd that the LA Times did not cover it to any significant degree. It was at this time that I met Cellerino Castillo. Celli showed me photographs of C-130 aircraft at the Ilipango Air force Base in El Salvador being loaded with drugs. He was the chief DEA agent in all of Central America at the time. He tried to blow the whistle and was blackballed and ruined. I had a long talk with him at that house on the night before the rally. Maxine Waters made a stink about the Drug issue when she returned to Washington. John Deutsch was DCI under Clinton and he sent his IG out to LA. After he returned Deutsch made a statement that there was no foundation whatsoever that the CIA was involved in drug trafficking or knew anything about such activity (surprise, surprise).”

Note: Ex DEA agent Celle Castillo is in Federal Prison in New Mexico on a set up charge of selling a gun to an undercover ATF Agent.. He reported to prison last May. (09) And nobody had the time of day to give him or help him..,. he fought the system alone with a crooked attorney appointed to represent him. It could happen to any of us... I say.., "By the Grace of God, there go I".. Celle has been shut up because he too knew about El Toro and the weapons drugs covert activity. detailed info. Celle and I appeared on the Mike Levine show, ExPert Whitness, a few months before Celle reported to prison. Where were all the "do Gooders and researchers when all this was going down on Celle?

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Bernice; One of the first main stream media coverage of the Col Sabow murder, was the first Connie Jung, "EYE TO EYE" TV premier of which I was interviewed.., (can't remember the date but it was shortly after President Clinton was in office and his brother was also on the same program; "Roger Dodger, Clinton") There was another broadcast soon after, or before; 57th Ave, but not sure if Sabow was covered on that program or what it was about... I think it was about Contra Gun Running and secret airbases in Costa Rica. Its been awhile.

additional background reading if interested:

<a href="http://www.veteranstoday.com/2010/03/03/fo...-marine-murder/" target="_blank">http://www.veteranstoday.com/2010/03/03/fo...-marine-murder/</a>

http://www.ocweekly.com/2006-09-14/news/cocaine-airways

http://www.phoenixarchives.com/express/1991/0591/13-06.pdf

Dr. Sabow met with Maxine Waters in 1996. He told us that: “I appeared with Maxine Waters at a rally that was organized by a group headed by Mike Rupert. The group flew me to LAX and drove me to a small house in South Central where I met others who were to speak at the rally on the following day. We spoke from the steps of the LA Municipal Bldg (I call it the Dragnet Building) and then marched in downtown LA for a few blocks. The park in front of the Municipal building was crowded with people from South Central. Still being naive, I thought it quite odd that the LA Times did not cover it to any significant degree. It was at this time that I met Cellerino Castillo. Celli showed me photographs of C-130 aircraft at the Ilipango Air force Base in El Salvador being loaded with drugs. He was the chief DEA agent in all of Central America at the time. He tried to blow the whistle and was blackballed and ruined. I had a long talk with him at that house on the night before the rally. Maxine Waters made a stink about the Drug issue when she returned to Washington. John Deutsch was DCI under Clinton and he sent his IG out to LA. After he returned Deutsch made a statement that there was no foundation whatsoever that the CIA was involved in drug trafficking or knew anything about such activity (surprise, surprise).”

Note: Ex DEA agent Celle Castillo is in Federal Prison in New Mexico on a set up charge of selling a gun to an undercover ATF Agent.. He reported to prison last May. (09) And nobody had the time of day to give him or help him..,. he fought the system alone with a crooked attorney appointed to represent him. It could happen to any of us... I say.., "By the Grace of God, there go I".. Celle has been shut up because he too knew about El Toro and the weapons drugs covert activity. detailed info. Celle and I appeared on the Mike Levine show, ExPert Whitness, a few months before Celle reported to prison. Where were all the "do Gooders and researchers when all this was going down on Celle?

Posted July 17,09

"... Marine Col Sabow murdered and now DEA Celle Castillo, also,perhaps soon to be Murdered

DEA Cele Castillo ordered to report to federal prison

Posted by Bill Conroy - July 12, 2009 at 2:46 pm

Judge revokes former DEA agent’s bond even after being made aware of prosecutorial misconduct allegations

Iran/Contra whistleblower Celerino Castillo is being sent directly to jail in the aftermath of his encounter with the buzz saw of Texas justice.

Despite being represented by an attorney, Robert E. De La Garza, who has been suspended by the State Bar of Texas for misapplying clients’ funds, the federal judge in Castillo’s case, at the urging of the government prosecutor, determined that there is no evidence of Castillo’s defense being tainted by the stink of ineffective assistance of counsel.

The fact that the same attorney’s son is facing federal gun charges, similar to those brought against Castillo, also has been deemed by the judge to be little more than an “inference” of a conflict of interest on the part Castillo’s attorney. Hence, the judge, at a hearing held Friday, July 10, 2009, in federal court in San Antonio, Texas, ruled that Castillo is not likely to succeed in the appeal of his conviction now pending before the Fifth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals.

As a result, the judge — after extending in mid-February Castillo’s report-to-prison date by some four months due to the very same ethical concerns raised about his attorney — did an about face at the July 10 hearing and ordered that Castillo report to prison on July 30 — to begin serving a 37-month sentence for violating federal firearm regulations, a sentence enhanced due to the judge’s apparent belief that Castillo sold weapons in Mexico.

Castillo, a self-proclaimed gun enthusiast who frequents gun shows, concedes he did sell some legally purchased guns absent the proper federal paperwork. However, he stresses none of those weapons were sold to prohibited purchasers (i.e., convicted felons) and he vehemently denies that any of those guns were sold in Mexico — nor is there any convincing evidence to the contrary, beyond prosecutorial inference, that has been produced by the state.

Castillo, as well as other law enforcers who spoke with Narco News, contend the federal prosecutor in the case turned Castillo’s paperwork violation (selling legally purchased weapons without a firearms-dealer permit) into a federal arms-trafficking case as payback for his whistleblowing activity — for exposing the CIA and White House’s complicity in arms- and narco-trafficking as part of the Iran/Contra scandal that played out during the administration of Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush.

The key to the severity of the prison sentence meted out to Castillo — who is a former DEA agent and decorated Vietnam veteran with no prior criminal record — is that the prosecutor in his case argued, and the judge seemed convinced, that Castillo was likely trafficking weapons in Mexico — and by implication to members of narco-trafficking cells.

But Narco News recently obtained documents (letters now filed with the Department of Justice) that allege the judge in Castillo’s case was mislead about the trafficking charges by the prosecutor in the case — which was initiated under the reign of U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton (a “dear friend” of former president George W. Bush), who recently left the post to take a job in the private sector.

Those documents also show that after the federal judge, W. Royal Furgeson Jr., was made aware of that allegation, he chose to chastise Castillo for bringing those charges to his attention outside the proper channels. Subsequently, Furgeson then revoked Castillo’s bail at the July 10 hearing and ordered him to report to prison to serve out an extreme sentence based on the allegedly misleading — possibly perjured — statements advanced by the federal prosecutor, Mark T. Roomberg.

The Allegations

On Oct. 22, 2008, Judge Furgeson sentenced Castillo to 37 months in prison after Castillo accepted his second plea deal with the prosecutor, Roomberg. The first set of charges against Castillo had to be dismissed because the government determined after the fact that they had applied the law improperly.

Castillo says he agreed to plead out a second time (to dealing firearms without a license) under the threat of multiple additional counts being brought against him by the government if he did not sign on the dotted line, and because his attorney, De La Garza, assured him that under the new plea deal he would retain his DEA and other benefits and he would receive a light sentence as a first-time offender — likely probation.

However, at the sentencing hearing on Oct. 22, 2008, after that second plea deal was signed, the prosecutor Roomberg came at Castillo with teeth bared, arguing that not only did Castillo sell firearms without a license, but that he likely was engaged in illegal arms trafficking — indicating to the judge that Castillo had been less than cooperative in disclosing to whom he had sold the weapons.

In fact, Castillo says the government had no evidence that he had sold guns to anyone, other than his own admission, and he stresses that his lawyer, De La Garza, did provide Roomberg with the full name of the individual who purchased the guns.

Castillo lays all of this out in a letter sent to Judge Furgeson (dated May 1, 2009, and recently obtained by Narco News). That same letter, including evidence to back up the allegations, Castillo says, also has been delivered to the Department of Justice’s Office of Inspector General and to the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division. In addition, Castillo says he wrote a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder making him aware of the allegations of prosecutorial misconduct in his case as well.

From Castillo’s letter to the judge:

ROOMBERG made a federal case that I had not documented any names of the people [to whom] I had sold guns. I was given 4 point [sentencing enhancement] for trafficking because ROOMBERG had once again lied.

… My attorney once again assured me that there was no reason why Your Honor [Furgeson] would not place me on probation, because I had no previous criminal record plus my health issues [a chronic heart condition and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder] would be brought under consideration. He stated that in the worst scenario, I would get one year, (home confinement)....

… ROOMBERG also knew exactly whom the guns went to because the [federal] agents had followed me when I delivered the shotguns. Two agents, from two different agencies [ATF and ICE] have written reports [REPORT OF INVESTIGATION] to that effect with the full name and telephone numbers of the individual who took custody of the guns. Now may there be no mistake that the individual who took custody of the guns did in no way shape or form break the law by taking custody of the guns. He was not a prohibited person and the government knew this to be a fact.

… I know that if Your Honor had heard the truth; I would have probably fallen into the probation level of the federal guidelines. Now I can prove that ROOMBERG lied to Your Honor, with DE LA GARZA’S handwritten notes and the two agents’ reports.

Castillo explains that in De La Garza’s notes from a meeting he had with Roomberg on June 26, 2008, is the name of the individual who purchased the weapons. Castillo says De La Garza told him that Roomberg was provided with that individual’s full name and address at that meeting, as the attorney’s notes reflect, and that Roomberg that day ran the individual’s address through the Internet to generate a map of that address.

In addition, Castillo claims the federal agents in his case seized his cell phone, and that the individual’s contact information was in the contact list on that phone, as well as a record of calls made to the individual. He contends Roomberg also would have had access to that information.

In his letter to Judge Furgeson, Castillo includes excerpts from Roomberg’s argument before the judge at the Oct. 22, 2008, sentencing hearing, which, he claims, proves that Roomberg misled the judge.

From the Oct. 22 hearing transcript, according to Castillo’s letter to Judge Furgeson:

Roomberg:

The defendant — and normally I don’t discuss this in open court – but the defendant raised the issue that he spoke with us and told us the person who he bought and sold most of these guns to. The defendant gave us a nickname and a general area, nothing that we can do anything with.

… We would love to know who these people were; we would love to have had Mr. Castillo tell us more than just a nickname and a general area where this person lived. He didn’t. And if he [is] dealing all these firearms with this person and can’t give us more than a nickname, then I don’t know how he’s identified that person.

… This person who has dealt the majority – what he just said in court, the majority of these guns he only knows by a nickname and a general area where they live and… so it’s our position that he had reason to believe these were going to be – the transfers were unlawful or that who they were going to would … dispose of firearms unlawfully… Again, we’re talking about the defendant who’s dealing these guns out of McAllen right there on the border. The types of guns are the FN 5.7 and the P 90, which are the assault rifles.

Castillo, in the letter to Judge Furgeson, makes the following allegation concerning Roomberg’s representations [above] to the judge at the Oct. 22 sentencing hearing:

ROOMBERG addressed to the court that the government had no idea who the guns went to and that they only had a nickname to go by. ROOMBERG intentionally, knowingly, and recklessly lied to the court. ROOMBERG lied about the P90 rifle. This weapon is nowhere to be found in my case. He just plain made up this allegation.

As a result of Roomberg’s allegedly misleading statements to Judge Furgeson, Castillo argues, the judge was led to believe that some of the guns at issue were, in fact, sold to narco-traffickers in Mexico, resulting in the judge imposing a much more severe sentence — which, besides the 37 months jail term, also resulted in Castillo losing his DEA and other benefits, despite Roomberg and De La Garza’s promises to Castillo to the contrary.

De La Garza told Narco News in a recent phone interview that if he were called to testify in a hearing about Roomberg’s actions, he would testify, that, in his opinion, “Roomberg misrepresented the facts at the sentencing and the judge was mislead” as a result.

And Castillo, in his letter to Judge Furgeson [as well as those delivered to DOJ], makes clear that he believes Roomberg’s actions in his case do merit an investigation:

Sir, there are several serious issues that needs to be address because I was told that they would not be address in my appeal process. My public defender [Judy F. Madewell] has decided to appeal my case on the grounds of “ineffective representation.”

… One of the most significant concerns is Assistant United States Attorney Mark ROOMBERG’S prosecutorial misconduct.

… In the last hearing, you commented that it was despicable for someone to take guns into Mexico, which I certainly agree and it was well taken. However, what I find most despicable, in my own opinion, is that ROOMBERG, an officer of the court, and who took an oath to protect the Constitution of the United States, made a mockery of your court.

On April 10, 2009, my official complaint against the government was hand carried by two veteran’s organization, Americas Last Patrol and a member of American G-I Forum, to the Office of Inspector General and the Civil Rights Division at the Department of Justice. I am requesting for an inquiry of how my case was handle by the prosecution. However, I am still fearful that the old guard is still present and will protect ROOMBERG.

Narco News previously attempted to contact Roomberg for comment on Castillo’s case, leaving a message on his answering machine. To date, Roomberg has not returned the call.

Judge Furgeson replied to Castillo’s letter outlining the allegations against Roomberg in a letter dated May 20, 2009, which states simply:

You have an appointed lawyer to represent you. You must communicate to me through her. It is not proper to write directly to me.

Castillo’s attorney, Judy Madewell, and Roomberg were cced a copy of Judge Furgeson’s reply to Castillo.

Castillo points out that the only reason he wrote directly to the judge in his case is because his attorney, Madewell, declined to bring up the issue of prosecutorial misconduct in his appeal or in proceedings before Judge Furgeson.

Madewell declined to comment for this story.

Process over truth

At a hearing held before Judge Furgeson on Feb. 19, 2009, Roomberg again alleged that Castillo sold guns “to people that he didn’t know and couldn’t even really identify” and also alleged that two of the guns sold by Castillo “have now been found in Mexico.” Roomberg provided no serial numbers for those weapons and alleged in his brief for the court that one of those weapons was a PS 90 assault rifle.

Madewell, in her rebuttal at that hearing, pointed out to the court that in “the government’s response [brief] they mention two guns, one of which was an FN PS 90 assault rifle, but if you look in [Castillo’s] plea agreement or the indictment, there’s no such weapon indicated [included].”

Castillo says the PS 90 is an earlier version of the FS 2000 rifle, which is referenced in the indictment. However, he claims if that is the weapon Roomberg claims was found in Mexico, then he can prove the prosecutor again mislead the court.

“That rifle is still in the United States, and if there is an official inquiry into this matter, that weapon will be produced,” Castillo says.

And again, at the recent hearing on July 10, in which Castillo’s bail was revoked and the judge ordered him to report to prison on July 30, Roomberg again made statements that seem intended to convince the judge that Castillo had sold guns to narco-traffickers in Mexico.

“It is bad for the United States for the defendant [Castillo] to remain out n bond when he is guilty … and he sold guns that are illegal and dangerous … and used to shoot people with body armor, police, down there [in Mexico] who are fighting the war on drugs,” Roomberg stated at the July 10 hearing.

But in the courtroom that day, the issue of prosecutorial misconduct was not on the table. The judge was considering only whether Castillo should remain free on bond based on what Castillo’s attorney, Madewell, had raised as an issue in her brief now pending before the Fifth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, and that was the issue of the alleged misconduct by Castillo’s attorney, De La Garza.

The judge conceded that De La Garza had never informed the court of the fact that, while representing Castillo, he was facing disciplinary action from the Texas State Bar for allegedly misappropriating clients’ funds — and that his law license was to be suspended effective Nov. 1, 2008. The judge also conceded that an “inference” of a conflict of interest exists due to the fact that De La Garza’s son, Andrew, was facing federal firearms charges at the same time the attorney was representing Castillo — and that at least one of the agents involved in Castillo’s case also was active in the son’s case (though Castillo claims it was, in fact, two agents).

However, in the end, Judge Furgeson determined that there simply was not enough evidence in the existing court record to show that there was an “actual” conflict of interest that would lead the appeals court to find that De La Garza provided ineffective assistance of counsel.

“I believe it is not likely that [Castillo’s] appeal [before the Fifth Circuit] will result in a reversal or new trial based on the record as it exists,” Furgeson said at the July 10 hearing. “… Ms. Madewell has made a heroic effort, but she is hamstrung because of the record [in the case]. Therefore, I’m going to revoke the bond, and I’m going to set the report date [to prison for Castillo] for July 30. There will be no further bond for the appeal.”

And so it ends for Castillo. He must now report to the federal penitentiary at the end of the month, and fight on with his appeal behind bars — absent his benefits and under the threat of harm that confronts all former law enforcement agents behind prison walls.

But the allegations of prosecutorial misconduct in his case are surely not resolved.

If, as Castillo claims, De La Garza did provide Roomberg with the full name and address of the individual who purchased the weapons from Castillo, and that individual is a U.S. citizen who was not prohibited from making those purchases, as Castillo contends, then it appears Roomberg likely did mislead the court.

On the other hand, if Roomberg argues that De La Garza failed to provide that name (which appears in his attorney notes), then it would seem that Roomberg is establishing a fact that would lend credence to the claim now on appeal before the Fifth Circuit — that De La Garza did, in fact, provide Castillo with ineffective assistance of council. (Roomberg clearly convinced the judge to dole out a stiff sentence to Castillo based on the contention that he did not cooperate with the prosecution, that he did not provide the full name of the purchaser, and that he likely did traffic weapons in Mexico).

It seems to be a Catch 22 for the prosecution, but in the U.S. justice system, at least in the Western District of Texas, the truth seems to matter less than protecting the process.

And in this case, to date, Castillo appears to be little more than another cog on the conveyor belt of that tortured process, destined for the buzz saw — another stat in the prosecution’s hat regardless of the facts.

Now, that’s change we can believe in.

Stay tuned ….

See prior Narco News’ coverage of this case at these links:

• U.S. government finally exacts revenge on Iran/Contra whistleblower Cele Castillo

• Iran/Contra whistleblower Cele Castillo increasingly looks like a framed man

• Prosecutor claims Iran/Contra whistleblower is a "danger" to society

Last edited by Tosh Plumlee; 07-13-2009 at 03:41 PM.

THIS IS ALSO TIED WITH THE SABOW CASE: IT TOO IS A COVER-UP!

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Bernice; One of the first main stream media coverage of the Col Sabow murder, was the first Connie Jung, "EYE TO EYE" TV premier of which I was interviewed.., (can't remember the date but it was shortly after President Clinton was in office and his brother was also on the same program; "Roger Dodger, Clinton") There was another broadcast soon after, or before; 57th Ave, but not sure if Sabow was covered on that program or what it was about... I think it was about Contra Gun Running and secret airbases in Costa Rica. Its been awhile.

additional background reading if interested:

<a href="http://www.veteranstoday.com/2010/03/03/fo...-marine-murder/" target="_blank">http://www.veteranstoday.com/2010/03/03/fo...-marine-murder/</a>

http://www.ocweekly.com/2006-09-14/news/cocaine-airways

http://www.phoenixarchives.com/express/1991/0591/13-06.pdf

Dr. Sabow met with Maxine Waters in 1996. He told us that: “I appeared with Maxine Waters at a rally that was organized by a group headed by Mike Rupert. The group flew me to LAX and drove me to a small house in South Central where I met others who were to speak at the rally on the following day. We spoke from the steps of the LA Municipal Bldg (I call it the Dragnet Building) and then marched in downtown LA for a few blocks. The park in front of the Municipal building was crowded with people from South Central. Still being naive, I thought it quite odd that the LA Times did not cover it to any significant degree. It was at this time that I met Cellerino Castillo. Celli showed me photographs of C-130 aircraft at the Ilipango Air force Base in El Salvador being loaded with drugs. He was the chief DEA agent in all of Central America at the time. He tried to blow the whistle and was blackballed and ruined. I had a long talk with him at that house on the night before the rally. Maxine Waters made a stink about the Drug issue when she returned to Washington. John Deutsch was DCI under Clinton and he sent his IG out to LA. After he returned Deutsch made a statement that there was no foundation whatsoever that the CIA was involved in drug trafficking or knew anything about such activity (surprise, surprise).”

Note: Ex DEA agent Celle Castillo is in Federal Prison in New Mexico on a set up charge of selling a gun to an undercover ATF Agent.. He reported to prison last May. (09) And nobody had the time of day to give him or help him..,. he fought the system alone with a crooked attorney appointed to represent him. It could happen to any of us... I say.., "By the Grace of God, there go I".. Celle has been shut up because he too knew about El Toro and the weapons drugs covert activity. detailed info. Celle and I appeared on the Mike Levine show, ExPert Whitness, a few months before Celle reported to prison. Where were all the "do Gooders and researchers when all this was going down on Celle?

Its obvious to me in spite of what some say they are not really interested in investigating or researching anything.

In My View: The Sabow case and its cover-up is the same methods used in the JFK assassination and many other cover-ups over the years. (DEA Ki KI Camareana, Berry Seal, Lisa Howard, Killgalen, Gary Webb, M. Monroe.., to many to list here.., add your on) Because one presents documented facts and others refuse to study them for their validity and pass them off as " right wing conspiracies" or just not interested in the facts, but more interested in their own views and theories, in my view is just plain unacceptable and certainly does not (IMO) come under the heading of valid research and certainly not under the heading of, "seeking for truth". I see it as more like, " gratification of personal egos". To me, that type of bias research comes under the heading of "Entertainment". In my view, I am sorry to say, this Forum (as well as most other Forums dealing with these types of subject matter) have become nothing more than, "low rated, sensationalized entertainment".

I refuse to participate in 'Entertainment', 'personal theories', and 'unfounded speculations'. I came back to this forum to clear a few matters concerning previous things which were said ,I said; which were not quite presented correct in there content or quotes. They were slanted to add credit to some; to confirm their speculations and personal theories. Its obvious to me this is not the place for me or my information, nor are the threads I have started in an attempt to establish my views and the facts of various matters of which I was personally involved over many years. Anything I have had to say is out there in many places, logged over many years . And if your are a true researcher seeking truth, you can find it.

Edited by William Plumlee
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Its obvious to me this is not the place for me or my information, nor are the threads I have started in an attempt to establish my views and the facts of various matters of which I was personally involved over many years.

Tosh,

It seems to me that you have established your views and presented facts, and these are appreciated, since we are all here to share information and seek truth. But I'm not sure what it is you expect us to do now. We could research this particular case further, though it looks like it has been researched. The larger question is, what can I or anyone else do about the murder of Col. Sabow? There are researchers like Ventura and Russell who are able to write books on cases like this and get national TV exposure. But how much good will it really do? Ventura is still going to be viewed as a nut. The Sabow case deserves a book, but who is going to write it? I wonder if anyone here is in a position to take on the task. (And how much good would it really do? A very good book was written on the murder of Vince Foster. But how much good did it do? Foster was and will always remain a suicide.) So most of us can only talk about it, here or elsewhere. I have a JFK website, which gets a few visits a day, with links to a couple of articles I wrote about 9/11. That's about the extent of what I can do in all these conspiracies. Should I write my congressman? Ha ha ha ha ha. Run for Congress myself? (Where can I get a few million dollars?) What more should we do?

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Its obvious to me this is not the place for me or my information, nor are the threads I have started in an attempt to establish my views and the facts of various matters of which I was personally involved over many years.

Tosh,

It seems to me that you have established your views and presented facts, and these are appreciated, since we are all here to share information and seek truth. But I'm not sure what it is you expect us to do now. We could research this particular case further, though it looks like it has been researched. The larger question is, what can I or anyone else do about the murder of Col. Sabow? There are researchers like Ventura and Russell who are able to write books on cases like this and get national TV exposure. But how much good will it really do? Ventura is still going to be viewed as a nut. The Sabow case deserves a book, but who is going to write it? I wonder if anyone here is in a position to take on the task. (And how much good would it really do? A very good book was written on the murder of Vince Foster. But how much good did it do? Foster was and will always remain a suicide.) So most of us can only talk about it, here or elsewhere. I have a JFK website, which gets a few visits a day, with links to a couple of articles I wrote about 9/11. That's about the extent of what I can do in all these conspiracies. Should I write my congressman? Ha ha ha ha ha. Run for Congress myself? (Where can I get a few million dollars?) What more should we do?

Ron: "... What more should we do?..". Well, there is one place to start; get everybody together you know, members of this forum who work hard for truth.., focus.., and can stay on topic.., show how all these cases are tied together via a common thread and method of operation used by various federal agencies and politicians to cover the facts behind these acts of murder and suicides. Why are the facts behind all these cases buried in secluded places and the facts thereof twisted? (murders and suicides) Make a list of all the suspicious death and their timeframes and what was happening politically at the time... You brought one good case up.. Vince Foster. How does that tie into what the political flavor of the times? Was there a drug war on going? Was there a DEA agent who knew what was going on in Central America and Mexico and tried to get this information to proper officials? Was there a undercover pilot that was set up and murdered at a "half way " house, who worked CIA undercover operations?

You might say; Tosh you write the book or do the movie... well I would and have tried. And I have been told I would have to present it to the CIA for review...and I have been threatened. Ha.. giving a manuscript to the CIA for review.., that kills the publisher. Who or what publisher or producer wants to go head to head with the CIA? There is strength in numbers if those numbers are focused on the task and not drawn away by the powers that be and ego seekers who want to be seen and heard and contribute nothing but confusing.

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Ventura is still going to be viewed as a nut.

Was I right? Tonight I caught the last couple minutes of Bill O'Reilly's so-called "No Spin Zone" on FoxNews. He showed a short clip of Ventura earlier today on a FoxNews morning show promoting his book on (O'Reilly here speaks in a hushed tone) "conspiracies." O'Reilly then showed a picture of Ventura, and underneath the picture was the word PINHEAD.

I agree with all you say, Tosh, but that's the kind of crap that Ventura and all the rest of us are up against. Quite an uphill battle against a controlled and unrelenting media.

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Videos in relation to Sabow...b......http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBEFO6bMPPQ this darn link sorry just will not enable copy and paste in google...thanks...

thank you tosh for all the further information much to read and listen to.take good care..best b..

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Tosh, I think a lot of people absorb info on still-current scandals, having recent and fatal consequences for the principled people involved, with a grain of healthy fear. Which is natural, probably even prudent.

But this knowledge shapes people's political and social thinking nonetheless. It will bear long-ripening fruit, like the events leading up to 1776, or to 1861, or to Nixon's 1973. Thanks for doing your part to alert us to new research areas in the widening moral cesspit of suborned drug dealing.

We could tell tales of Jeremy Boorda, Gary Webb, Danny Casolaro, Steve Kangas, and Michael Rupppert here. (You might like to Google up former detective Mike Ruppert's experiences with corrupt cops and intel and compare them to Celle's)

Edited by David Andrews
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Tosh, I think a lot of people absorb info on still-current scandals, having recent and fatal consequences for the principled people involved, with a grain of healthy fear. Which is natural, probably even prudent.

But this knowledge shapes people's political and social thinking nonetheless. It will bear long-ripening fruit, like the events leading up to 1776, or to 1861, or to Nixon's 1973. Thanks for doing your part to alert us to new research areas in the widening moral cesspit of suborned drug dealing.

We could tell tales of Jeremy Boorda, Gary Webb, Danny Casolaro, Steve Kangas, and Michael Rupppert here. (You might like to Google up former detective Mike Ruppert's experiences with corrupt cops and intel and compare them to Celle's)

David: Both of those gentleman are my friends and I have been interviewed by them. In fact I just got back from seeing Celle in prison here in New Mexico. Cele and I were on Mike Levine's ExPert Witness a few months before he reported to prison: We have just presented a petition to President Obama in behalf of Celle.

The following I feel should be of some interest for those who are interested in COVER-UPS and I feel it is fitting to place it in this JFK thread to perhaps show Methods and Procedures used in governments cover-ups and character assassinations: Enjoy

UNITED STATES COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF OREGON

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ex rel.

GARY R. EITEL,

Plaintiff,

vs.

ROY D. REAGAN, et al.,

Defendants

CIVIL NO. 94-425-JO

FOURTH DECLARATION OF GARY R. EITEL

I Gary R. Eitel, State as follows:

. I am the relator in this qui tam action on behalf of the plaintiff, United States of America, pursuant to the False Claims Act, 31 U. S.C. ~3730. I am a U.S. citizen over the age of 21 and am competent to make this declaration.

2. I am a former military combat pilot. I flew over 300 combat missions in Vietnam, totaling over 500 hours of flight time. For my service, I received a Presidential citation, the Air Medal with 12 Oak Leaf Clusters, and four Bronze Battle Stars.

3. I am currently a professional pilot with approximately 11,000 hours pilot time. I have the senior ratings of my profession, including airline transport pilot with jet ratings. I am also an FAA certified flight instructor, airframe and powerplant mechanic, and aircraft maintenance inspector.

1732Q134.MTN

In April-May 1989, while employed at Evergreen International Airlines, I was told that at some future time I could be asked to fly United States government C-130 aircraft for Evergreen. The aircraft were based at Evergreens Marana, Arizona base and operated under the guise of the Forest Service However, the planes were used by Evergreen for non-firefighting purposes, such as carrying cargo. I later learned that these aircraft (of which I gained knowledge in April-May 1989) were the same planes that were transferred to defendants, which were first delivered to Evergreen's Marana Airbase. See Paragraphs 31, 35

My knowledge that government C-130 aircraft were coming into Evergreen's Marana airbase under the guise of the Forest Service concerned me, because I might be required to fly the aircraft on questionable or illegal flights for non-firefighting purposes. I reported this to a Department Of Defense agent I had known for a number of years, Tom Miller. I have attached the declaration of Tom Miller hereto, which confirms my report to him. Exh. 1. I have known Mr. Miller for over 20 years. He has been an agent of the Department of Defense, and then the Federal Aviation Administration, for as long as I have known him.

6. From 1970 until his death in late 1992, I maintained contact with an individual named Jack Chisum, I first met Jack Chisum in 1970 while flying for the U.S. Forest Service. Jack was my immediate aviation supervisor. Through the years, Jack and I kept in contact concerning our friendship and business acquaintance. In 1990, I provided information to Mr. Chisum that Evergreen had access to surplus military C-130 aircraft, which I later learned were the aircraft at issue in this suit. Mr. Chisum needed access to C-130 aircraft and had inquired of my knowledge.

7. In the fall of 1991, I was pursuing government aviation opportunities for myself and certain consulting clients. I came across an industry magazine, Conservation Aeronautics, that reported a just started Forest Service C-130 and P-3 air tanker program.

2

In Summer 1991, I read an article in the magazine that stated that C-130 and P-3 aircraft, former military planes, were being used by private contractors for firefighting for the US Forest Service. Through the fall of 1991, Mr. Wood and I maintained contact, and he gave me extensive information in our discussions which he asked I keep confidential. One piece of confidential information that he eventually gave me was that an individual by the name of Roy Reagan was involved in getting A-10s connected with the Forest Service.

8. Later in the fall of 1991, I communicated with Jack Chisum and learned he was having difficulties because he and others were operating C-130 aircraft in Kuwait and other surrounding countries,. Jack Chisum explained to me the following:

He and another man by the name of Woody Grantham had interests in a company called T&G Aviation a/k/a Douglas County Aviation. Jack indicated that he was a vice president in the company and that he had a financial interest in it as well. Jack went on to say that T&G's C130, aircraft were doing work for Southern Air and Evergreen in Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi. He said the paperwork was in place to show that the Bechtol Corp. and a company out of Alaska called Martech were using the C-130s for routine oil field work, when in fact, it was other kinds of work, including moving weapons. Jack said he had the proper paperwork in hand allowing T&G's operation of the C-130s in Kuwait and surrounding companies under the cover story, but that turf fighting between Evergreen and Southern Air had put a spotlight on T&G's operations. Jack went on to say that Southern Air and Evergreen were trying to eliminate T&G from doing the type of work that Southern Air and Evergreen had traditionally done, such as hauling guns and other contraband. In later conversations, Chisum told me the details of a related Forest Service exchange program cover story.

9. In October 1991, I contacted the US Forest Service concerning the aviation magazine article depicting a C-130 air tanker. The Forest Service officials responsible for the aircraft exchange were extremely uncooperative. I was told many things by the Forest Service which turned out to be untrue. For example, the Forest Service told me the new program merely involved 3 C130 aircraft (when it involved more than 22 C-130s and more than 6 P-3sand as many as 100 A-10 fighter jets and that, for all practical purposes, it was closed to all newcomers. I was told by the Forest Service the program could

3

reopen if certain details could be worked out by the General Accounting Office concerning transfer of surplus military aircraft. Exhs. 2-6

10. I had been referred to the Forest Service Aviation office in Washington, D.C. by Tom Wood. I called this office and was told that Fred Fuchs was the Forest Service in charge of the air tanker program. I spoke with Mr. Fuchs briefly and followed up that same day with a letter by facsimile requesting information about the military aircraft exchange program. Exhs. 2-4 . In the ensuing month to two months, I repeatedly contacted Fuchs' office to gain information about the exchange program. Fuch's and his subordinates stonewalled, promising to but then not sending information about it. Exh 6

After originally communicating with the forest service in Oct. 1991, I contacted the General Services Administration about the new C-130 air tanker program and received an entirely different picture than what was told to me by the Forest Service. I was told by the General Counsels office of GSA that there were 22 C-130and 6 P-3A aircraft involved.

12. I was surprised at the coincidence between Chisum's disclosure about tags C-130s and Fuch's refusal to be more forthcoming about the Forest Service exchange program which involved C-130s. This reminded me of the use of C-130s by Evergreen for non-firefighting purposes under the guise of the Forest Service in 1989, and it turned out that I now was dealing with the same aircraft.

13. In Nov. 1991, in a phone conversation with Jack Chisum, we again discussed the subject of T&G's C-130 predicament. Chisum admitted at the time his own difficulties with flying C-130 aircraft in Kuwait was connected with the Forest Service program about which I had inquired to the government. Chisum expressed grave concerns for himself and his company and he stated he felt he was being set up by his competitors, with the help of certain people at the Forest Service.

4 I

n November 1991, Chisum informed me there were other people and companies that were doing illegal things in the Forest Service air tanker program. He disclosed to me that the contractors who had received military aircraft from the Forest Service knew in advance that they would use the planes for profit on non-firefighting uses. He said that other people other than T&G were also doing things with the forest Service military aircraft other than firefighting, and that it was unfair that those entities, other than just T&G --were not the subjects of investigations. He specifically identified two of the defendant contractors—Hawkins and Powers Aviation and Aero Union Corporation. (See Exh. 7, 10). Furthermore, he identified specific illegal uses by Hawkins and Powers of the military aircraft, including leasing them for film production, using them in video commercials, and hauling fish in Alaska. He stated that the scheme to use the Forest Service aircraft for profit in non-firefighting purposes was organized out of Aero Unions’ offices in Chico, Calif. He also stated that the contractors had to use Reagan to get type certificate for the planes, and that Reagan was located at Aero Unions offices. I told Chisum that it did not make since that the contractors had to use Reagan for a type certificate, since if they were firefighting there was a “public use” exception to the FAA’s certificate requirements. Chisum acknowledged that the type certificate was needed to use the aircraft for purposes other than firefighting.

I related to Chisum that I believed that the Forest Service program was part of a scheme to direct surplus military aircraft to private companies for non-firefighting purposes. Chisum confirmed my conclusion. I told Chisum that I intended to file a formal complaint with the government against the Forest Service officials with whom I had recently communicated. I also told Chisum I was going after government records to expose the scandal, and, if I found documentation to vindicate him, I would pass it along.

Around this time, Tom Wood, the Conservation Aeronautics editor, referred me to Roy Reagan. He told me that Reagan was an Air Force engineer, and he gave me

5 Reagan’s phone number in Chico, California. Exh. 8,10 He stated to me that Reagan was working on a non-public project involving A-10 fighter jets to be used for the Forest Service. I found the idea that sophisticated, modern fighter jets were being considered by the Forest Service to be incredible, and this heightened my suspicion that a Forest Service military aircraft exchange program was going badly astray.

In late 1991, I contacted the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture Office of Inspector General in Washington D.C., an agency “hotline”, which has jurisdiction over the Forest Service. I revealed my knowledge of the abuses of the Forest Service’s military aircraft exchange program (as described in paragraph 14 above) and the refusal of Fuchs to deal honestly and openly with the details of the program. I specifically reported my knowledge of the improper uses of C-130’s by T&G and others in the Persian Gulf and Hawkins And Powers in Alaska, the other improper uses for movie productions and video commercials, Aero Unions Central role in the illegal scheme, and Reagan’s affiliation with Aero Union and efforts to use A-10 fighter jets in some way under a questionable Forest Service program.

Soon after filing a complaint in late 1991 against Forest Service officials and the air tanker program with t he Agriculture’s Office of Inspector General’s hotline, I began to pursue documents from the Forest Service under the Freedom of Information Act. I began this effort in early January 1992. Exh.13 The Forest Service’s response to my request was not candid or truthful. Initially, the agency falsely asserted that the aircraft belonged to the recipients and the Forest Service retained no control over them. Exh.14 I gave this letter to Jack Chisum, and he told me that he used it to show the FAA and State Dept. that T&G’s use of the aircraft in the Persian Gulf was authorized. See exh.11

6 On Feb. 6, I submitted a follow-up to my January FOIA request, demanding “black and white documents, not merely summations created as an FOIA response.” Exh. 15

In late Feb. 1992, Woody Grantham helped me as an expression of his appreciation for my providing Chisum with the Forest Service letter. He knew that I was investigating the aircraft exchange program, and he sent me by facsimile a letter on Hawkins and Powers letterhead that revealed that Hawkins and Powers was using its Forest Service C-130s for non-firefighting purposes. In the letter, Gene Powers, the president of Hawkins and Powers, thanks the representative of a company named Multitrade International, a firm not involved in firefighting, for the “care and attention” given to Hawkins & Powers’ c-130s during its lease of them. Exh.12

On Feb18, the Forest Service responded to my follow-up FOIA request. Exh.16 With this letter, the Forest Service provided me the actual Exchange Agreements between defendants T.B.M. Hemet Valley Flying Service, Hawkins & Powers, and T&G Aviation. These documents revealed an express false certification by the contractors who received the planes, made to obtain the military aircraft, that they would use the planes exclusively for firefighting purposes.

The Forest Service had still not provided me with the specific contracting data that I had requested. Frustrated with the Forest Service responses to my FOIA requests, I spelled out—in an FOIA appeal dated March 5, 1992—what I believed to be illegal.17 activities concerning the Forest Service aircraft. Exh.17 By letter dated March 24, 1992, forest service officials acknowledged my complaints.

Also in early 1992, I made contact with the Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General’s audit division, based in Atlanta. An OIG investigator informed me that my hotline complaint in late 1991 related to what was now a full-blown audit of the Forest Service air tanker program. I was asked to cooperate and I did so,

7

providing all the information and documentation that I possessed concerning T&G and the Kuwait incident, Southern Air and Evergreen involvement, and Roy Reagan and the A-10 program. I relayed the information that Chisum had told me about the true nature of the program to get former military aircraft into the hands of private contractors for non-firefighting purposes, including that Aero Union was headquarters for that program, that the contractors had to use Reagan to obtain type certificates, and that Reagan was located at Aero Union’s offices. I also forwarded to the OIG’s office that all of my FOIA requests and the Forest Service responses, including the C-130 exchange agreements. I spoke frequently with John Davis or two other auditors, agents Feester and Tyler. The auditors told me that they had not seen the Exchange Agreements before I had given the documents to them, nor did they know of Reagans involvement with A-10s. See Exh.20

Prior to the issuance of the OIG audit, I was asked by the investigators to explain what I knew about Del Rio Flying Service and Roy Reagan. I explained that Roy Reagan was involved with a highly improbable program to use A-10 fighter jets for the Forest Service. I had well-founded reasons to believe that the A-10 fighter jets were to be used for other purposes. I also revealed that Roy Reagan was connected with aircraft manufacturing operations near Ft. Worth, Texas and in Chico, Ca. I was told by an OIG investigator that portions of the audit report had been intentionally leaked to a news paper. In addition, one of the auditors told me during the audit of CIA footprints everywhere. In or about Oct. 1992, OIG auditors issued a formal audit report on the Forest Services aircraft exchange program. I obtained 3 copies of the report, one from the auditors personally, one from a member of congress, and one through a freedom of Information request.

In Late 1992, I contacted, Congressman Rose’s Office because I believed that certain Forest Service Officials were involved in a cover-up of wrongdoing in the Forest

8

Service airtanker program. In early 1993, Congressman Rose’s office informed me that a House Subcommittee investigation was underway concerning my 1992 complaints to congressman Rose’s office. I was asked to cooperate and testify, and I agreed. exhs. 21,22.

Also in late 1992, I learned that Mr. Chisum was killed in a hit and run car accident.

28. In early 1993, I made contact with Senior Special Agent in the criminal division of the Dept. Of Agriculture OIG office in Washington D.C. His name is Kim Widup. I then began a relationship with Agent Widup that has continued to this day. I provided Agent Widup with all the information I possessed, including the leaked Hawkins & Powers correspondence, the Exchange Agreements, and the information I had received from Chisum. Exh. 23 29. In early 1993, Congressman Rose’s office putoffice put me in contact with two media sources in the Portland, Oregon area, Jeff Manning and Eric Mason. Manning worked for the Portland Business Journal. With my assistance and documentation, Mr. Manning wrote an article on the Forest Service C-130 scandal. He provided me a courtesy copy of his story with a personal note attached thanking me for my assistance and pointing out the story could not have been written otherwise. Exh.27 I was contacted by numerous other journalists before they wrote stories on the aircraft exchange program. These included Jennifer Dixon in or around November 1992, Scott Sonner in or around July 1993, Dick Clever in or around Sept-Oct 1993, Doug Frantz in or around April-June 1993, the staff for Jack Anderson in or around July 1993, and several others.

9

Starting in or around April 1993, I cooperated with James Long, who worked for the Oregonian newspaper in Portland. I was put in contact with Mr. Long through a mutual acquaintance – a professor Leary from the University of Alabama. With my help, Mr. Long prepared an extensive news article on the Forest service and C-130 air tanker program and his article is included with the August 5. 1993 congressional hearing chaired by Congressman Charlie Rose.

Just prior to my testimony before Congress that occurred on Aug. 5, 1993, I gained further information from industry contacts concerning the activity of all of the recipients of air tankers under the Forest Service Exchange Program that was the subject of my complaints to the OIG and to Congressman Rose. Later in 1993, from my confidential contacts, I learned that a company named Aerial Heavy Hauling headed up by an individual named Joe Kelso was going to create a fraudulent scheme to obtain owner ship of two C-130 aircraft previously in the Forest Service air tanke5r program. The Kelso operation would be a joint venture out of Bend, Oregon associated with a company named Butler Aviation. I learned from my confidential sources that Butler Aviation was an affiliate for T.B.M., a reci8pient of former military C-130 aircraft. Exh.32. I gave this information to Special Agent Widup, senator Sasser , Congressman Rose, and reporters with whom I worked previously.

One other source for information was a confidential contact I had initiated in Mena, Arkansas, Charles Hendricks. Exh.29, Mr. Hendricks’ son was involved with C-130 aircraft that originated from Roy Reagans efforts to skim surplus military aircraft for use in non-firefighting efforts. His son had died in a C-130 aircraft accident in Angola while operating to assist a military force in that country. Congressman Kurt Weldon stated on Aug. 5, 1993 in the record on the house floor after my testimony that the CIA was behind the flight and he wanted to have hearings to determine why, Mr. Hendricks referred me to a former T&G mechanic, who stated to me that Forest Service C-130’s had 10 been operating out of Mena, Ark. On non-firefighting activities. I also learned the names of individuals personally involved with Roy Reagan and Evergreen at a time in 1989 when I first learned that Evergreen was using the same surplus military C-130s belonging to the Forest Service for non-firefighting purposes. I provided all of this information to Agent Widup, Senator Sasser, Congressman Rose, and another representative Congressman Weldon.

From my Mena, Ark. Investigation and contacts, I made the acquaintance of Gene Wheaton who, like myself, had been asked by Congressman Rose to testify concerning his knowledge of non-firefighting uses of C-130 aircraft. My contact with Gene Wheaton occurred shortly after my Aug. 5, 1993 appearance before Congressman Rose’s committee.

I had a number of confidential phone conversations with Gene Wheaton and we exchanged documentation. We both discovered the early roots of the new 1991 Forest Service air tanker program. The program was not new whatsoever, but followed a lengthy history whereby questionable operators obtained surplus military C-130s that originated in the U.S. and later were used by the Royal Australian Air Force in the late 70s and early 80s. This predated the current Forest Service exchange program by a number of years. Many of these aircraft made their way back into the U.S. and into the hands of T&G and John Ford, and they were operated for profit doing the same type of work as T&G had done in Kuwait. See para. 38

In late summer or Fall 1993, I obtained a copy of a C-130 tracking catalog which records activity of all C-130 aircraft ever manufactured. I obtained this from Mr. Wheaton, who had given it to a reporter we both knew, Eric Mason, to share with me. It reflected that T.B.M. had transferred certain of its C-130s to an affiliate, Butler Aviation. 11. To my surprise, I also discovered multiple transfers of those aircraft involved in the Forest Service program individuals within and outside of the air tanker program. This revealed repeated switching of registration of the aircraft by defendants, a scheme known in the aviation industry to hide aircraft ownership while doing improper activities. See Exh. 31 All of this to include a copy of the catalog given to me by Special Agent Kim Widup of the criminal division, Dept. of Agriculture OIG in 1993.

Through my confidential sources and investigation efforts, I learned that when Jack Chisum’s 2 C-130s returned from Kuwait, they were flown to and parked at Evergreen’s Marana Airbase. A phoney finance scheme had been put into place so that the aircraft would appear to have been repossessed by a lending institution which would appear to be an “innocent” third party. This transaction was an illegal scheme to steal U.S. property, and I reported this to the OIG investigators, Senator Sasser, and Congressman Rose. Evergreen appeared as a sales agent putting the two C-130s on the market for $5.6 million each and retained operational control over the aircraft.

Through my confidential sources and investigation efforts, I also learned of an attorney in California named John Ford, who was involved with the Australian C-130s one of which he owned(mena n*****80, for those keeping a list)In fact, one of Ford’s C-130s was seized by U.S. Customs for hauling drugs. Ford appears in documentation possessed at one point as an officer of T&G, at other places as an attorney for both T&G and Roy Reagan. I also learned that Ford put together the financing scheme for kickbacks paid Reagan by T&G.

Through my investigative efforts that began in late 1991, I learned that Roy Reagan and key principals in Aero Union had been longstanding friends going back to high school at Medford, Oregon. I also discovered that Roy Reagans A-10 fighter program was going to be masqueraded as a Forest Service air tanker program that would be based in Medford, Oregon and associated with a company I had flown a CIA mission for in 1989. 12 The C-130, P-3, and A-10 scheme was developed at Aero Union by Reagan and his friends with the help of Evergreen. In early 1993, Special Agent Kim Widup halted the A-10 fighter plane conversion program, in part with information provided by me. I testified as to the A-10 program at Congressman Rose’s hearing in 1993. Initially, Forest Service officials denied or avoided the subject; but under pointed questioning by Congressman Rose, they admitted to the A-10 fighter jet air tanker program. This revelation was solely brought about by my investigation, which I had reported to the OIG auditors in 1992, Congressman Rose in 1993 and Agent Widup in early 1993. One of my concerns was that an A-10 fighter jet had no useful purpose as a Forest Service air tanker, especially equipped so that it could be quickly converted again into a jet aircraft “tank killer”. I additionally discovered through my investigations, that A-10 aircraft contained harmful radiation because of spent uranium munitions. I also uncovered evidence to shoe that he A-10 program was secretly further along than previously admitted by government officials. I obtained documentation showing at least 100 A-10 aircraft were involved in the program and more than 40 C-130s under a phoney air tanker program mastered by Roy Reagan and others. I provided all of this information to the OIG, Senator Sasser, and Congressman Rose.

in late 1993, I used the same documentation to show that Forest Service Chief Dale Robertson testified falsely before Congress in connection with his testimony regarding the A-10 program before Congressman Rose on Aug. 5 1993. Forest Service Chief Robertson subsequently was fired for this and other reasons, Exh.33 13 Pursuant to 28 USC ~ 1746, I certify this 29th day of June, 1995, under penalty of perjury under the laws of the United States, that the foregoing is true and correct to the best of my knowledge. (signed) Gary R. Eitel Date and place of execution: 6\29\95, State of Washington

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Tosh, I think a lot of people absorb info on still-current scandals, having recent and fatal consequences for the principled people involved, with a grain of healthy fear. Which is natural, probably even prudent.

But this knowledge shapes people's political and social thinking nonetheless. It will bear long-ripening fruit, like the events leading up to 1776, or to 1861, or to Nixon's 1973. Thanks for doing your part to alert us to new research areas in the widening moral cesspit of suborned drug dealing.

We could tell tales of Jeremy Boorda, Gary Webb, Danny Casolaro, Steve Kangas, and Michael Rupppert here. (You might like to Google up former detective Mike Ruppert's experiences with corrupt cops and intel and compare them to Celle's)

David: Both of those gentleman are my friends and I have been interviewed by them. In fact I just got back from seeing Celle in prison here in New Mexico. Cele and I were on Mike Levine's ExPert Witness a few months before he reported to prison: We have just presented a petition to President Obama in behalf of Celle.

The following I feel should be of some interest for those who are interested in COVER-UPS and I feel it is fitting to place it in this JFK thread to perhaps show Methods and Procedures used in governments cover-ups and character assassinations: Enjoy

UNITED STATES COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF OREGON

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ex rel.

GARY R. EITEL,

Plaintiff,

vs.

ROY D. REAGAN, et al.,

Defendants

CIVIL NO. 94-425-JO

FOURTH DECLARATION OF GARY R. EITEL

I Gary R. Eitel, State as follows:

. I am the relator in this qui tam action on behalf of the plaintiff, United States of America, pursuant to the False Claims Act, 31 U. S.C. ~3730. I am a U.S. citizen over the age of 21 and am competent to make this declaration.

2. I am a former military combat pilot. I flew over 300 combat missions in Vietnam, totaling over 500 hours of flight time. For my service, I received a Presidential citation, the Air Medal with 12 Oak Leaf Clusters, and four Bronze Battle Stars.

3. I am currently a professional pilot with approximately 11,000 hours pilot time. I have the senior ratings of my profession, including airline transport pilot with jet ratings. I am also an FAA certified flight instructor, airframe and powerplant mechanic, and aircraft maintenance inspector.

1732Q134.MTN

In April-May 1989, while employed at Evergreen International Airlines, I was told that at some future time I could be asked to fly United States government C-130 aircraft for Evergreen. The aircraft were based at Evergreens Marana, Arizona base and operated under the guise of the Forest Service However, the planes were used by Evergreen for non-firefighting purposes, such as carrying cargo. I later learned that these aircraft (of which I gained knowledge in April-May 1989) were the same planes that were transferred to defendants, which were first delivered to Evergreen's Marana Airbase. See Paragraphs 31, 35

My knowledge that government C-130 aircraft were coming into Evergreen's Marana airbase under the guise of the Forest Service concerned me, because I might be required to fly the aircraft on questionable or illegal flights for non-firefighting purposes. I reported this to a Department Of Defense agent I had known for a number of years, Tom Miller. I have attached the declaration of Tom Miller hereto, which confirms my report to him. Exh. 1. I have known Mr. Miller for over 20 years. He has been an agent of the Department of Defense, and then the Federal Aviation Administration, for as long as I have known him.

6. From 1970 until his death in late 1992, I maintained contact with an individual named Jack Chisum, I first met Jack Chisum in 1970 while flying for the U.S. Forest Service. Jack was my immediate aviation supervisor. Through the years, Jack and I kept in contact concerning our friendship and business acquaintance. In 1990, I provided information to Mr. Chisum that Evergreen had access to surplus military C-130 aircraft, which I later learned were the aircraft at issue in this suit. Mr. Chisum needed access to C-130 aircraft and had inquired of my knowledge.

7. In the fall of 1991, I was pursuing government aviation opportunities for myself and certain consulting clients. I came across an industry magazine, Conservation Aeronautics, that reported a just started Forest Service C-130 and P-3 air tanker program.

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In Summer 1991, I read an article in the magazine that stated that C-130 and P-3 aircraft, former military planes, were being used by private contractors for firefighting for the US Forest Service. Through the fall of 1991, Mr. Wood and I maintained contact, and he gave me extensive information in our discussions which he asked I keep confidential. One piece of confidential information that he eventually gave me was that an individual by the name of Roy Reagan was involved in getting A-10s connected with the Forest Service.

8. Later in the fall of 1991, I communicated with Jack Chisum and learned he was having difficulties because he and others were operating C-130 aircraft in Kuwait and other surrounding countries,. Jack Chisum explained to me the following:

He and another man by the name of Woody Grantham had interests in a company called T&G Aviation a/k/a Douglas County Aviation. Jack indicated that he was a vice president in the company and that he had a financial interest in it as well. Jack went on to say that T&G's C130, aircraft were doing work for Southern Air and Evergreen in Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi. He said the paperwork was in place to show that the Bechtol Corp. and a company out of Alaska called Martech were using the C-130s for routine oil field work, when in fact, it was other kinds of work, including moving weapons. Jack said he had the proper paperwork in hand allowing T&G's operation of the C-130s in Kuwait and surrounding companies under the cover story, but that turf fighting between Evergreen and Southern Air had put a spotlight on T&G's operations. Jack went on to say that Southern Air and Evergreen were trying to eliminate T&G from doing the type of work that Southern Air and Evergreen had traditionally done, such as hauling guns and other contraband. In later conversations, Chisum told me the details of a related Forest Service exchange program cover story.

9. In October 1991, I contacted the US Forest Service concerning the aviation magazine article depicting a C-130 air tanker. The Forest Service officials responsible for the aircraft exchange were extremely uncooperative. I was told many things by the Forest Service which turned out to be untrue. For example, the Forest Service told me the new program merely involved 3 C130 aircraft (when it involved more than 22 C-130s and more than 6 P-3sand as many as 100 A-10 fighter jets and that, for all practical purposes, it was closed to all newcomers. I was told by the Forest Service the program could

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reopen if certain details could be worked out by the General Accounting Office concerning transfer of surplus military aircraft. Exhs. 2-6

10. I had been referred to the Forest Service Aviation office in Washington, D.C. by Tom Wood. I called this office and was told that Fred Fuchs was the Forest Service in charge of the air tanker program. I spoke with Mr. Fuchs briefly and followed up that same day with a letter by facsimile requesting information about the military aircraft exchange program. Exhs. 2-4 . In the ensuing month to two months, I repeatedly contacted Fuchs' office to gain information about the exchange program. Fuch's and his subordinates stonewalled, promising to but then not sending information about it. Exh 6

After originally communicating with the forest service in Oct. 1991, I contacted the General Services Administration about the new C-130 air tanker program and received an entirely different picture than what was told to me by the Forest Service. I was told by the General Counsels office of GSA that there were 22 C-130and 6 P-3A aircraft involved.

12. I was surprised at the coincidence between Chisum's disclosure about tags C-130s and Fuch's refusal to be more forthcoming about the Forest Service exchange program which involved C-130s. This reminded me of the use of C-130s by Evergreen for non-firefighting purposes under the guise of the Forest Service in 1989, and it turned out that I now was dealing with the same aircraft.

13. In Nov. 1991, in a phone conversation with Jack Chisum, we again discussed the subject of T&G's C-130 predicament. Chisum admitted at the time his own difficulties with flying C-130 aircraft in Kuwait was connected with the Forest Service program about which I had inquired to the government. Chisum expressed grave concerns for himself and his company and he stated he felt he was being set up by his competitors, with the help of certain people at the Forest Service.

4 I

n November 1991, Chisum informed me there were other people and companies that were doing illegal things in the Forest Service air tanker program. He disclosed to me that the contractors who had received military aircraft from the Forest Service knew in advance that they would use the planes for profit on non-firefighting uses. He said that other people other than T&G were also doing things with the forest Service military aircraft other than firefighting, and that it was unfair that those entities, other than just T&G --were not the subjects of investigations. He specifically identified two of the defendant contractors—Hawkins and Powers Aviation and Aero Union Corporation. (See Exh. 7, 10). Furthermore, he identified specific illegal uses by Hawkins and Powers of the military aircraft, including leasing them for film production, using them in video commercials, and hauling fish in Alaska. He stated that the scheme to use the Forest Service aircraft for profit in non-firefighting purposes was organized out of Aero Unions’ offices in Chico, Calif. He also stated that the contractors had to use Reagan to get type certificate for the planes, and that Reagan was located at Aero Unions offices. I told Chisum that it did not make since that the contractors had to use Reagan for a type certificate, since if they were firefighting there was a “public use” exception to the FAA’s certificate requirements. Chisum acknowledged that the type certificate was needed to use the aircraft for purposes other than firefighting.

I related to Chisum that I believed that the Forest Service program was part of a scheme to direct surplus military aircraft to private companies for non-firefighting purposes. Chisum confirmed my conclusion. I told Chisum that I intended to file a formal complaint with the government against the Forest Service officials with whom I had recently communicated. I also told Chisum I was going after government records to expose the scandal, and, if I found documentation to vindicate him, I would pass it along.

Around this time, Tom Wood, the Conservation Aeronautics editor, referred me to Roy Reagan. He told me that Reagan was an Air Force engineer, and he gave me

5 Reagan’s phone number in Chico, California. Exh. 8,10 He stated to me that Reagan was working on a non-public project involving A-10 fighter jets to be used for the Forest Service. I found the idea that sophisticated, modern fighter jets were being considered by the Forest Service to be incredible, and this heightened my suspicion that a Forest Service military aircraft exchange program was going badly astray.

In late 1991, I contacted the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture Office of Inspector General in Washington D.C., an agency “hotline”, which has jurisdiction over the Forest Service. I revealed my knowledge of the abuses of the Forest Service’s military aircraft exchange program (as described in paragraph 14 above) and the refusal of Fuchs to deal honestly and openly with the details of the program. I specifically reported my knowledge of the improper uses of C-130’s by T&G and others in the Persian Gulf and Hawkins And Powers in Alaska, the other improper uses for movie productions and video commercials, Aero Unions Central role in the illegal scheme, and Reagan’s affiliation with Aero Union and efforts to use A-10 fighter jets in some way under a questionable Forest Service program.

Soon after filing a complaint in late 1991 against Forest Service officials and the air tanker program with t he Agriculture’s Office of Inspector General’s hotline, I began to pursue documents from the Forest Service under the Freedom of Information Act. I began this effort in early January 1992. Exh.13 The Forest Service’s response to my request was not candid or truthful. Initially, the agency falsely asserted that the aircraft belonged to the recipients and the Forest Service retained no control over them. Exh.14 I gave this letter to Jack Chisum, and he told me that he used it to show the FAA and State Dept. that T&G’s use of the aircraft in the Persian Gulf was authorized. See exh.11

6 On Feb. 6, I submitted a follow-up to my January FOIA request, demanding “black and white documents, not merely summations created as an FOIA response.” Exh. 15

In late Feb. 1992, Woody Grantham helped me as an expression of his appreciation for my providing Chisum with the Forest Service letter. He knew that I was investigating the aircraft exchange program, and he sent me by facsimile a letter on Hawkins and Powers letterhead that revealed that Hawkins and Powers was using its Forest Service C-130s for non-firefighting purposes. In the letter, Gene Powers, the president of Hawkins and Powers, thanks the representative of a company named Multitrade International, a firm not involved in firefighting, for the “care and attention” given to Hawkins & Powers’ c-130s during its lease of them. Exh.12

On Feb18, the Forest Service responded to my follow-up FOIA request. Exh.16 With this letter, the Forest Service provided me the actual Exchange Agreements between defendants T.B.M. Hemet Valley Flying Service, Hawkins & Powers, and T&G Aviation. These documents revealed an express false certification by the contractors who received the planes, made to obtain the military aircraft, that they would use the planes exclusively for firefighting purposes.

The Forest Service had still not provided me with the specific contracting data that I had requested. Frustrated with the Forest Service responses to my FOIA requests, I spelled out—in an FOIA appeal dated March 5, 1992—what I believed to be illegal.17 activities concerning the Forest Service aircraft. Exh.17 By letter dated March 24, 1992, forest service officials acknowledged my complaints.

Also in early 1992, I made contact with the Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General’s audit division, based in Atlanta. An OIG investigator informed me that my hotline complaint in late 1991 related to what was now a full-blown audit of the Forest Service air tanker program. I was asked to cooperate and I did so,

7

providing all the information and documentation that I possessed concerning T&G and the Kuwait incident, Southern Air and Evergreen involvement, and Roy Reagan and the A-10 program. I relayed the information that Chisum had told me about the true nature of the program to get former military aircraft into the hands of private contractors for non-firefighting purposes, including that Aero Union was headquarters for that program, that the contractors had to use Reagan to obtain type certificates, and that Reagan was located at Aero Union’s offices. I also forwarded to the OIG’s office that all of my FOIA requests and the Forest Service responses, including the C-130 exchange agreements. I spoke frequently with John Davis or two other auditors, agents Feester and Tyler. The auditors told me that they had not seen the Exchange Agreements before I had given the documents to them, nor did they know of Reagans involvement with A-10s. See Exh.20

Prior to the issuance of the OIG audit, I was asked by the investigators to explain what I knew about Del Rio Flying Service and Roy Reagan. I explained that Roy Reagan was involved with a highly improbable program to use A-10 fighter jets for the Forest Service. I had well-founded reasons to believe that the A-10 fighter jets were to be used for other purposes. I also revealed that Roy Reagan was connected with aircraft manufacturing operations near Ft. Worth, Texas and in Chico, Ca. I was told by an OIG investigator that portions of the audit report had been intentionally leaked to a news paper. In addition, one of the auditors told me during the audit of CIA footprints everywhere. In or about Oct. 1992, OIG auditors issued a formal audit report on the Forest Services aircraft exchange program. I obtained 3 copies of the report, one from the auditors personally, one from a member of congress, and one through a freedom of Information request.

In Late 1992, I contacted, Congressman Rose’s Office because I believed that certain Forest Service Officials were involved in a cover-up of wrongdoing in the Forest

8

Service airtanker program. In early 1993, Congressman Rose’s office informed me that a House Subcommittee investigation was underway concerning my 1992 complaints to congressman Rose’s office. I was asked to cooperate and testify, and I agreed. exhs. 21,22.

Also in late 1992, I learned that Mr. Chisum was killed in a hit and run car accident.

28. In early 1993, I made contact with Senior Special Agent in the criminal division of the Dept. Of Agriculture OIG office in Washington D.C. His name is Kim Widup. I then began a relationship with Agent Widup that has continued to this day. I provided Agent Widup with all the information I possessed, including the leaked Hawkins & Powers correspondence, the Exchange Agreements, and the information I had received from Chisum. Exh. 23 29. In early 1993, Congressman Rose’s office putoffice put me in contact with two media sources in the Portland, Oregon area, Jeff Manning and Eric Mason. Manning worked for the Portland Business Journal. With my assistance and documentation, Mr. Manning wrote an article on the Forest Service C-130 scandal. He provided me a courtesy copy of his story with a personal note attached thanking me for my assistance and pointing out the story could not have been written otherwise. Exh.27 I was contacted by numerous other journalists before they wrote stories on the aircraft exchange program. These included Jennifer Dixon in or around November 1992, Scott Sonner in or around July 1993, Dick Clever in or around Sept-Oct 1993, Doug Frantz in or around April-June 1993, the staff for Jack Anderson in or around July 1993, and several others.

9

Starting in or around April 1993, I cooperated with James Long, who worked for the Oregonian newspaper in Portland. I was put in contact with Mr. Long through a mutual acquaintance – a professor Leary from the University of Alabama. With my help, Mr. Long prepared an extensive news article on the Forest service and C-130 air tanker program and his article is included with the August 5. 1993 congressional hearing chaired by Congressman Charlie Rose.

Just prior to my testimony before Congress that occurred on Aug. 5, 1993, I gained further information from industry contacts concerning the activity of all of the recipients of air tankers under the Forest Service Exchange Program that was the subject of my complaints to the OIG and to Congressman Rose. Later in 1993, from my confidential contacts, I learned that a company named Aerial Heavy Hauling headed up by an individual named Joe Kelso was going to create a fraudulent scheme to obtain owner ship of two C-130 aircraft previously in the Forest Service air tanke5r program. The Kelso operation would be a joint venture out of Bend, Oregon associated with a company named Butler Aviation. I learned from my confidential sources that Butler Aviation was an affiliate for T.B.M., a reci8pient of former military C-130 aircraft. Exh.32. I gave this information to Special Agent Widup, senator Sasser , Congressman Rose, and reporters with whom I worked previously.

One other source for information was a confidential contact I had initiated in Mena, Arkansas, Charles Hendricks. Exh.29, Mr. Hendricks’ son was involved with C-130 aircraft that originated from Roy Reagans efforts to skim surplus military aircraft for use in non-firefighting efforts. His son had died in a C-130 aircraft accident in Angola while operating to assist a military force in that country. Congressman Kurt Weldon stated on Aug. 5, 1993 in the record on the house floor after my testimony that the CIA was behind the flight and he wanted to have hearings to determine why, Mr. Hendricks referred me to a former T&G mechanic, who stated to me that Forest Service C-130’s had 10 been operating out of Mena, Ark. On non-firefighting activities. I also learned the names of individuals personally involved with Roy Reagan and Evergreen at a time in 1989 when I first learned that Evergreen was using the same surplus military C-130s belonging to the Forest Service for non-firefighting purposes. I provided all of this information to Agent Widup, Senator Sasser, Congressman Rose, and another representative Congressman Weldon.

From my Mena, Ark. Investigation and contacts, I made the acquaintance of Gene Wheaton who, like myself, had been asked by Congressman Rose to testify concerning his knowledge of non-firefighting uses of C-130 aircraft. My contact with Gene Wheaton occurred shortly after my Aug. 5, 1993 appearance before Congressman Rose’s committee.

I had a number of confidential phone conversations with Gene Wheaton and we exchanged documentation. We both discovered the early roots of the new 1991 Forest Service air tanker program. The program was not new whatsoever, but followed a lengthy history whereby questionable operators obtained surplus military C-130s that originated in the U.S. and later were used by the Royal Australian Air Force in the late 70s and early 80s. This predated the current Forest Service exchange program by a number of years. Many of these aircraft made their way back into the U.S. and into the hands of T&G and John Ford, and they were operated for profit doing the same type of work as T&G had done in Kuwait. See para. 38

In late summer or Fall 1993, I obtained a copy of a C-130 tracking catalog which records activity of all C-130 aircraft ever manufactured. I obtained this from Mr. Wheaton, who had given it to a reporter we both knew, Eric Mason, to share with me. It reflected that T.B.M. had transferred certain of its C-130s to an affiliate, Butler Aviation. 11. To my surprise, I also discovered multiple transfers of those aircraft involved in the Forest Service program individuals within and outside of the air tanker program. This revealed repeated switching of registration of the aircraft by defendants, a scheme known in the aviation industry to hide aircraft ownership while doing improper activities. See Exh. 31 All of this to include a copy of the catalog given to me by Special Agent Kim Widup of the criminal division, Dept. of Agriculture OIG in 1993.

Through my confidential sources and investigation efforts, I learned that when Jack Chisum’s 2 C-130s returned from Kuwait, they were flown to and parked at Evergreen’s Marana Airbase. A phoney finance scheme had been put into place so that the aircraft would appear to have been repossessed by a lending institution which would appear to be an “innocent” third party. This transaction was an illegal scheme to steal U.S. property, and I reported this to the OIG investigators, Senator Sasser, and Congressman Rose. Evergreen appeared as a sales agent putting the two C-130s on the market for $5.6 million each and retained operational control over the aircraft.

Through my confidential sources and investigation efforts, I also learned of an attorney in California named John Ford, who was involved with the Australian C-130s one of which he owned(mena n*****80, for those keeping a list)In fact, one of Ford’s C-130s was seized by U.S. Customs for hauling drugs. Ford appears in documentation possessed at one point as an officer of T&G, at other places as an attorney for both T&G and Roy Reagan. I also learned that Ford put together the financing scheme for kickbacks paid Reagan by T&G.

Through my investigative efforts that began in late 1991, I learned that Roy Reagan and key principals in Aero Union had been longstanding friends going back to high school at Medford, Oregon. I also discovered that Roy Reagans A-10 fighter program was going to be masqueraded as a Forest Service air tanker program that would be based in Medford, Oregon and associated with a company I had flown a CIA mission for in 1989. 12 The C-130, P-3, and A-10 scheme was developed at Aero Union by Reagan and his friends with the help of Evergreen. In early 1993, Special Agent Kim Widup halted the A-10 fighter plane conversion program, in part with information provided by me. I testified as to the A-10 program at Congressman Rose’s hearing in 1993. Initially, Forest Service officials denied or avoided the subject; but under pointed questioning by Congressman Rose, they admitted to the A-10 fighter jet air tanker program. This revelation was solely brought about by my investigation, which I had reported to the OIG auditors in 1992, Congressman Rose in 1993 and Agent Widup in early 1993. One of my concerns was that an A-10 fighter jet had no useful purpose as a Forest Service air tanker, especially equipped so that it could be quickly converted again into a jet aircraft “tank killer”. I additionally discovered through my investigations, that A-10 aircraft contained harmful radiation because of spent uranium munitions. I also uncovered evidence to shoe that he A-10 program was secretly further along than previously admitted by government officials. I obtained documentation showing at least 100 A-10 aircraft were involved in the program and more than 40 C-130s under a phoney air tanker program mastered by Roy Reagan and others. I provided all of this information to the OIG, Senator Sasser, and Congressman Rose.

in late 1993, I used the same documentation to show that Forest Service Chief Dale Robertson testified falsely before Congress in connection with his testimony regarding the A-10 program before Congressman Rose on Aug. 5 1993. Forest Service Chief Robertson subsequently was fired for this and other reasons, Exh.33 13 Pursuant to 28 USC ~ 1746, I certify this 29th day of June, 1995, under penalty of perjury under the laws of the United States, that the foregoing is true and correct to the best of my knowledge. (signed) Gary R. Eitel Date and place of execution: 6\29\95, State of Washington

Background information as to MO's used by Federal government to cover damaging stories:

Wednesday March 17, 2010

Mar-17-2010 02:42

MCAS El Toro and the Untimely Death of Marine Fighter Pilot James Sabow

http://www.salem-news.com/articles/march17...im-sabow-tk.php

http://salem-news.com/articles/march082010...sabow-ro-tk.php

Tim King Salem-News.com

Somebody should produce a full length movie about this epic American tragedy.

Colonel James Sabow flew more than 220 missions as a fighter pilot in Vietnam, before becoming the third ranking officer at MCAS El Toro. He was murdered for threatening to drop a dime on an illegal government weapons for drugs trading program that funded the Contras.

(IRVINE, Calif.) - In early 1991, something happened at the El Toro Marine air base that was so bad, so shameful, that it will not go away. It's the highly controversial death of Marine Colonel James Sabow. A fighter pilot, a hero of the Vietnam War, a man considered by those who knew him, to be 'general material'.

First and foremost, Jim Sabow was the last man who would have ever contemplated suicide. He made it through 220 missions as a fighter pilot in Vietnam and had risen far in rank. The only officers who ever criticized him were almost certainly the same ones involved in his demise.

By any logical account based on a large amount of evidence from multiple sources, Colonel James Sabow was murdered because he was going to bring the roof down on a number of senior Marines at El Toro, for their involvement in the continual running of drugs to aid terrorist groups in Nicaragua known as the Contras.

Today the old El Toro Marine Air Station is a closed down, deserted ghost town; a toxic EPA Superfund site that poisoned and contaminated the Marines who worked here.

The flightline was the center of west coast Marine air operations, and the place where Col. Sabow and other pilots took off and landed in their fighter jets.

Looking North

You remember Marine Colonel Oliver North? He was national news for a long time for his role in the program that led to vast amounts of toxic white drugs landing in the streets of America, through the weapons for drugs program; the Iran/Contra Affair.

These government-supplied drugs were deadly for America, particularly in black neighborhoods that were already stricken with poverty.

North was convicted of three felonies, all were later dismissed on a technicality.

By the time Col. Jim Sabow got wind of this activity in late 1990, and threatened to blow the whistle, the drugs for weapons program to aid the Contras had been specifically outlawed by the U.S. government for five years.

Jim Sabow was a career Marine, a Harrier pilot, third in command of El Toro, and he wasn't going to allow the illegal drug running to keep taking place on his base.

Tim King's report on the Death of Marine Corps Colonel James Sabow

We know a bit about the workings of this. Our contact Tosh Plumlee flew these C-130's for the CIA with contraband, and he remembers landing at El Toro. Knowing what he does, Plumlee is and has been firmly convinced that Col. Sabow met with foul play.

The details of this event are included in several existing reports. The links are at the bottom of the page.

On the morning of January 22, 1991, Col Sabow's wife came home and found him dead in the back yard. He had apparently been sitting in a lawn chair. His body appeared to be holding a double-barrel shotgun.

For starters, Col. Sabow had a massive contusion on his neck and head, and severe bruising that would be consistent with a strike with a blunt object from behind, like from the butt of a shotgun.

He had other injuries, and he had aspirated a significant amount of blood, meaning his heart was beating after he was severely injured. The shotgun was the tool used to make his death appear as a suicide.

For a medical doctor like Col Sabow's brother, Dr. David Sabow, there is no question that the shotgun had nothing to do with his brother's death.

Jim Sabow lost a total of one ounce of blood from the shotgun blast to the mouth. Had he committed suicide, there would have been massive amounts of blood.

Dr. Sabow, former Marines Robert O'Dowd, John Uldrich and myself, are hoping that a movie production company will find this to be an interesting prospect.

I am available via email at the bottom of this article, and I will connect any interested parties with Dr. David Sabow.

This may be one of the nation's most shocking stories because of the substantial implications against the U.S. government.

Americans should be infuriated by the murder of this Marine Corps officer, husband, father, brother, and son.

Mar-08-2010: Former CIA Pilot Tells of Guns and Drugs Shipments - Robert O'Dowd and Tim King Salem-News.com

Mar-05-2010: Pentagon Shooter and the Murder of Col. James Sabow - Tim King Salem-News.com

Mar-03-2010: Jerry Brown: Brother of Murdered Marine Needs Your Help - Robert O'Dowd Salem-News.com

Jan-22-2010: Who Killed Colonel James E. Sabow, USMC? - Robert O'Dowd Salem-News.com

=================================================

Tim King is a former U.S. Marine with twenty years of experience on the west coast as a television news producer, photojournalist, reporter and assignment editor. In addition to his role as a war correspondent, this Los Angeles native serves as Salem-News.com's Executive News Editor. Tim spent the winter of 2006/07 covering the war in Afghanistan, and he was in Iraq over the summer of 2008, reporting from the war while embedded with both the U.S. Army and the Marines.

Tim holds numerous awards for reporting, photography, writing and editing, including the Oregon AP Award for Spot News Photographer of the Year (2004), first place Electronic Media Award in Spot News, Las Vegas, (1998), Oregon AP Cooperation Award (1991); and several others including the 2005 Red Cross Good Neighborhood Award for reporting. Serving the community in very real terms, Salem-News.com is the nation's only truly independent high traffic news Website. You can send Tim an email at this address: newsroom@salem-news.com

Edited by William Plumlee
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