textfiles-politics/pythonCode/personTestingOutput/drugrunr.xml

<xml><p>
<ent type='NORP'>CONTRAS</ent> USED COCAINE TO BUY ARMS
BY VINCE BIELSKI and <ent type='GPE'>DENNIS</ent> BERNSTEIN</p>

<p> WASHINGTON--Senator <ent type='PERSON'>John Kerry</ent> (D-Mass) and his staff said recently
they are "confident" that money from the sale of narcotics helped finance
the contras and that the arms network set up by Lt. Col. Oliver <ent type='PERSON'>North</ent> could
be involved.</p>

<p> <ent type='PERSON'>North</ent> was fired from the staff of <ent type='ORG'>the National Security Council</ent> by
President Reagan this week after the <ent type='ORG'>Administration</ent> discovered that <ent type='PERSON'>North</ent>
arranged for the transfer $30 million from the sale of arms to <ent type='GPE'>Iran</ent> to
<ent type='NORP'>Swiss</ent> bank accounts controlled by the contras.</p>

<p> "I'm confident that the contras have received drug money. They have
received illegal shipments of weapons and that U.S. officials knew of it,"
<ent type='PERSON'>Kerry</ent> said, in calling for a special prosecutor to look into these other
allegations.</p>

<p> <ent type='PERSON'>John Weiner</ent>, a <ent type='PERSON'>Kerry</ent> aide, said while congressional investigators do
not know if <ent type='PERSON'>North</ent> was directly involved, they do have evidence linking the
"<ent type='PERSON'>North</ent> network" to the cocaine-arms operation. According to a report
produced by Kerry's staff, <ent type='PERSON'>North</ent> established a network, involving retired
<ent type='ORG'>Army</ent> Gen. <ent type='PERSON'>John Singlaub</ent>, U.S. mercenaries and <ent type='NORP'>Cuban</ent>-<ent type='NORP'>Americans</ent>, to provide
arms to the contras during the two-year congressional ban on U.S. support.
After the downing of the C-123 cargo plane over <ent type='GPE'>Nicaragua</ent>, <ent type='ORG'>Administration</ent>
officials also acknowledged that <ent type='PERSON'>North</ent> set up the private arms operation to
the contras.</p>

<p> <ent type='PERSON'>Weiner</ent> and several other sources charge that individuals involved in
the network traffic in cocaine to help buy weapons for the contras.</p>

<p> "We have received a variety of allegations about drug connections to
the contras and to parts of the <ent type='PERSON'>North</ent> network. As to whether Oliver <ent type='PERSON'>North</ent>
was directly involved in that I can't say. But parts of the <ent type='PERSON'>North</ent> network
allegedly were. And that needs to be looked at very seriously," he said.</p>

<p> The Senate Foreign Relations committee is expected to investigate
these charges when <ent type='ORG'>Congress</ent> reconvenes in January.</p>

<p> The role that cocaine played in funding the network has been part of a
two-year investigation carried out by <ent type='ORG'>the Christic Institute</ent>, a <ent type='GPE'>Washington</ent>-based law firm. <ent type='PERSON'>Dan Sheehan</ent>, the attorney directing the investigation, said
the proceeds from the sale of cocaine has been "one significant source of
funding for the contras. He said he has subsantial evidence to prove that
the contras and their <ent type='NORP'>Cuban</ent>-<ent type='NORP'>American</ent> supporters are smuggling one ton of
cocaine into <ent type='GPE'>the United</ent> States each week.</p>

<p> The Drug Enforcement <ent type='ORG'>Administration</ent> estimates that one ton of cocaine
has a street value of between $26 and $50 million. <ent type='PERSON'>Sheehan</ent> said a portion
the profits are used to purchase weapons.</p>

<p> The cocaine ring, involving mostly major <ent type='GPE'>Columbian</ent> cocaine trafficker,
or "cocaine lords," and <ent type='NORP'>Cuban</ent>-<ent type='NORP'>Americans</ent> from <ent type='GPE'>Miami</ent> had been operating for
years before the <ent type='PERSON'>North</ent> network began in 1984. <ent type='PERSON'>John Mattes</ent>, an attorney for
one of the <ent type='NORP'>Cuban</ent>-<ent type='NORP'>Americans</ent> involved in the <ent type='PERSON'>North</ent> network, said that the
cocaine traffickers and the arms network "got together as a marriage of
convenience."</p>

<p> "The <ent type='GPE'>Columbian</ent>s saw that the contra base in <ent type='GPE'>Costa Rica</ent> was an ideal
transhipment point. Their planes would land there and refuel. They also
benefit from the pilots, planes and intelligence information which the arms
suppliers had and which they make extensive use of," <ent type='ORG'>Mattes</ent> said. In
return, <ent type='ORG'>Mattes</ent> said the <ent type='GPE'>Columbian</ent>s paid the contras $10000 to $25000 for
each plane carry cocaine which landed in <ent type='GPE'>Costa Rica</ent> for refueling. The
Christic Institute's allegations are all contained in a civil suit filed in
May 1986 in U.S. District Court in <ent type='LOC'>the Southern District</ent> of <ent type='GPE'>Florida</ent>.</p>

<p> The suit is brought by two U.S. journalists, <ent type='PERSON'>Martha Honey</ent> and Tony
Avirgan, who charge that the cocaine/arms conspiracy was responsible for
the May 1984 assassination attempt on contra leader Eden Pastora in La
Penca, <ent type='GPE'>Nicaragua</ent>. The journalists are sueing for personal injuries they
suffered resulting from a bomb explosion at a press conference which killed
8 people and injured Pastora. "As amazing as it sounds," <ent type='PERSON'>Sheehan</ent> said, "the
conspiracy is continuing to bring about one ton or 1000 kilos of cocaine
into <ent type='GPE'>the United</ent> States each week." <ent type='PERSON'>Jesus Garcia</ent>, a former corrections
officer in <ent type='GPE'>Dade County</ent>, <ent type='GPE'>Florida</ent>, said he was actively involved in the
cocaine-arms operation.</p>

<p> He is one of <ent type='PERSON'>Sheehan</ent> and Kerry's main sources of information. In a
telephone interview from prison, where <ent type='PERSON'>Garcia</ent> is no serving a three-year
term for possession of a firearm, he said "it is common knowledge here in
<ent type='GPE'>Miami</ent> that that this whole contra operation in <ent type='GPE'>Costa Rica</ent> was paid for with
cocaine. Everyone involved knows it. I actually saw the cocaine and the
weapons together under one roof, weapons that I helped ship to <ent type='GPE'>Costa Rica</ent>."
In May of 1983, according to the suit, two <ent type='NORP'>Cuban</ent>-<ent type='NORP'>Americans</ent>, <ent type='PERSON'>Rene Corbo</ent> and
<ent type='PERSON'>Felipe Vidal</ent> joined forces with <ent type='PERSON'>John Hull</ent>, a U.S. citizen who owns 1750
acres of land in northern <ent type='GPE'>Costa Rica</ent>, "to recruit, train, finance (and)
arm" a <ent type='NORP'>Cuban</ent>-<ent type='NORP'>American</ent> mercenary force to attack <ent type='GPE'>Nicaragua</ent>.</p>

<p> To finance the mercenary force, the <ent type='NORP'>Cuban</ent>-<ent type='NORP'>Americans</ent>, <ent type='GPE'>Hull</ent> and others
made arrangements with two known <ent type='GPE'>Columbian</ent> cocaine trafficers, Pablo
Escobar and <ent type='PERSON'>Jorge Ochoa</ent>, "to provide hundreds of pounds of cocaine on a
regular basis," according to the suit. <ent type='PERSON'>Garcia</ent> said that individuals
involved in the arms supply operation told him that <ent type='PERSON'>Ochoa</ent> was supplying
cocaine to the contras.</p>

<p> The cocaine was flown from <ent type='GPE'>Columbia</ent> to Hull's ranch, <ent type='PERSON'>Sheehan</ent> said,
where the planes would refuel. <ent type='PERSON'>Sheehan</ent> said he has obtained records of
<ent type='ORG'>Corbo</ent> buying huge gasoline tanks in <ent type='GPE'>Costa Rica</ent> which are used for refueling
the planes. <ent type='ORG'>The Christic Institute</ent> learned about the cocaine shipments from
members of <ent type='GPE'>Costa Rica</ent>n Rural Guard, workers on Hull's land who unloaded the
illegal substance from the small planes, and the pilots who transported the
cocaine.</p>

<p> <ent type='ORG'>Corbo</ent> and <ent type='PERSON'>Vidal</ent> belong to the <ent type='ORG'>Brigade</ent> 2506, an anti-<ent type='PERSON'>Castro</ent> group in
<ent type='GPE'>Miami</ent> whose members were recruited and hired by the <ent type='ORG'>CIA</ent> to fight in <ent type='LOC'>the Bay</ent>
of Pigs invasion agaisnt <ent type='GPE'>Cuba</ent>. Kerry's staff report charges that "<ent type='GPE'>Hull</ent>...
has been identified by a wide range of sources, including Eden Pastora,
mercenaries, <ent type='GPE'>Costa Rica</ent>n officials, and contra supporters as "deeply
involved with military support for the contras...and has been identified by
a wide-range of sources...as a <ent type='ORG'>CIA</ent> or <ent type='ORG'>NSC</ent> liaison to the contras."</p>

<p> According to <ent type='PERSON'>Steven Carr</ent> and <ent type='PERSON'>Peter Glibbery</ent>, two mercenaries based on
land operated by <ent type='GPE'>Hull</ent> who were captured by the <ent type='GPE'>Costa Rica</ent>n Rural Guard in
1985, <ent type='GPE'>Hull</ent> introduced himself to them as "the chief liaison for the FDN
(<ent type='ORG'>National Democratic Force</ent>) and the <ent type='ORG'>CIA</ent>." <ent type='GPE'>Hull</ent> received $10000 a month
from the <ent type='ORG'>NSC</ent>, according to the report. The <ent type='ORG'>NSC</ent> denies having made payments
to <ent type='GPE'>Hull</ent>.</p>

<p> <ent type='GPE'>Hull</ent> has denied that he is assisting the contras and that he is
working for the U.S. government.</p>

<p> <ent type='PERSON'>Sheehan</ent> said that the cocaine is flown from the land operated by <ent type='GPE'>Hull</ent>
to <ent type='GPE'>Memphis</ent> and then to <ent type='GPE'>Denver</ent>. The drug is also packed into container ships
at the <ent type='GPE'>Costa Rica</ent>n port of <ent type='PERSON'>Limon</ent> and transported to <ent type='GPE'>Miami</ent>, <ent type='GPE'>New Orleans</ent> and
<ent type='GPE'>San Francisco</ent>.</p>

<p> <ent type='PERSON'>Francisco Chanes</ent>, a <ent type='NORP'>Cuban</ent>-<ent type='NORP'>American</ent>, is the major importer and
distributor of the cocaine coming in from <ent type='GPE'>Costa Rica</ent>, according to the
suit. <ent type='PERSON'>Sheehan</ent> said he learned of <ent type='NORP'>Chanes</ent>' role from Drug Enforcement
<ent type='ORG'>Administration</ent> agents who investigated <ent type='NORP'>Chanes</ent>, <ent type='ORG'>Corbo</ent> and <ent type='PERSON'>Vidal</ent>.</p>

<p> During a January 1986 interview with <ent type='ORG'>FBI</ent> agents, <ent type='PERSON'>Garcia</ent> said he told
the agents that <ent type='NORP'>Chanes</ent> and <ent type='ORG'>Corbo</ent> were also involved in the contra supply
operation.</p>

<p> <ent type='PERSON'>Garcia</ent> said the agents responded by saying that <ent type='NORP'>Chanes</ent> and <ent type='ORG'>Corbo</ent> were
already the subjects of a <ent type='ORG'>FBI</ent> narcotics trafficing investigation. <ent type='ORG'>Mattes</ent>,
Garcia's attorney who was present at the interview, said he also heard the
agents say that the <ent type='ORG'>FBI</ent> was investigating <ent type='NORP'>Chanes</ent> and <ent type='ORG'>Corbo</ent>.</p>

<p> <ent type='PERSON'>Sheehan</ent> said money from the sale of cocaine is deposited in one bank
in <ent type='GPE'>Miami</ent> and two in <ent type='LOC'>Central America</ent> and then withdrawn to purchase weapons
and explosives.</p>

<p> <ent type='PERSON'>Garcia</ent> said he was personally involved in a March 1985 shipment of 6
tons of arms to <ent type='GPE'>Costa Rica</ent> from <ent type='GPE'>Miami</ent>. In July 1986, an official from the
U.S. Attorney's office in <ent type='GPE'>Miami</ent> confirmed to the <ent type='GPE'>Miami</ent> Herald that "we now
believe there were some weapons" illegally shipped to the contras by their
U.S. supporters from <ent type='ORG'>the Fort Lauderdale International</ent> airport in 1985.</p>

<p> <ent type='PERSON'>Garcia</ent> said he saw both these weapons and three kilograms of cocaine
stored at the home of <ent type='NORP'>Chanes</ent> in <ent type='GPE'>Miami</ent> in the company of <ent type='NORP'>Chanes</ent> and <ent type='PERSON'>Carr</ent>.</p>

<p> "They cocaine was kept in a dresser, about ten feet away from the
weapons. <ent type='PERSON'>Carr</ent> told me that the three keys (kilograms) was what was left
from a larger shipment," <ent type='PERSON'>Garcia</ent> said.[EP</p>

<p> He said he had no direct evidence that the weapons in <ent type='NORP'>Chanes</ent>' home
were purchased with the proceeds from the sale of cocaine. He said that
<ent type='PERSON'>Carr</ent> told him that the three kilograms were part of a larger shipment of
cocaine brought to <ent type='GPE'>the United</ent> States from <ent type='GPE'>Costa Rica</ent> in container ships
belonging Ocean Hunter, a seafood importing company owned by <ent type='NORP'>Chanes</ent>.</p>

<p> <ent type='PERSON'>Garcia</ent> said he helped load the weapons into a van which were then
taken to the aiport in <ent type='GPE'>Miami</ent>. <ent type='PERSON'>Glibbery</ent> said he witnessed the arrival of
these weapons on airstrips located on land operated by <ent type='GPE'>Hull</ent> in <ent type='GPE'>Costa Rica</ent>,
according to the <ent type='PERSON'>Kerry</ent> report.</p>

<p> The suit also names <ent type='PERSON'>Theodore Shackley</ent>, former <ent type='ORG'>CIA</ent> associate deputy
director for world wide covert operations, and retired <ent type='ORG'>Army</ent> Gen. John
<ent type='PERSON'>Singlaub</ent> as the main weapons suppliers.</p>

<p> According to the suit, <ent type='ORG'>Shackley</ent> "knowingly accept(ed) the proceeds
from illegal sales of narcotics in payment for illegal arms shipments."
<ent type='PERSON'>Singlaub</ent> has made "admissions to various reporters that he has sent guns
and bullets to the contras," according to the report.</p>

<p>********************
Reasearch and Editorial Assistance: Connie Blitt</p>

<p> Articles by <ent type='PERSON'>Vince Bielski</ent> (<ent type='GPE'>San Fransisco</ent>-based) and <ent type='PERSON'>Dennis Bernstein</ent>
(new <ent type='GPE'>York</ent>) have appeared in Newsday, <ent type='ORG'>Philadelphia Inquirer</ent>, Plain Dealer,
<ent type='GPE'>Denver</ent> Post, Dallas Times Herald, <ent type='ORG'>Dallas Morning</ent> News, <ent type='GPE'>Baltimore</ent> <ent type='LOC'>Sun</ent>, San
Fransisco Examiner, <ent type='ORG'>Oakland Tribune</ent>, San Jose <ent type='ORG'>Mercury</ent>, <ent type='GPE'>Arizona</ent> Daily Star,
Seattle Times, <ent type='PERSON'>Minnieapolis Star</ent> and <ent type='ORG'>Tribune</ent>, and others.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------</p>

<p>X-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-X</p>

<p> Another file downloaded from: NIRVANAnet(tm)</p>

<p> &amp; <ent type='ORG'>the Temple</ent> of the Screaming Electron Jeff Hunter 510-935-5845
Rat Head Ratsnatcher 510-524-3649
Burn This Flag Zardoz 408-363-9766
<ent type='PERSON'>realitycheck Poindexter Fortran</ent> 415-567-7043
Lies Unlimited <ent type='PERSON'>Mick Freen</ent> 415-583-4102</p>

<p> Specializing in conversations, obscure information, high explosives,
arcane knowledge, political extremism, diversive sexuality,
insane speculation, and wild rumours. ALL-TEXT BBS SYSTEMS.</p>

<p> Full access for first-time callers. We don't want to know who you are,
where you live, or what your phone number is. We are not Big Brother.</p>

<p> "Raw Data for Raw Nerves"

X-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-X
</p></xml>