Difference between revisions of "Barry Seal"
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'''Barry Seal''' was a Green Beret in the [[Vietnam war]] and later a pilot for TWA. In 1972 he was indicted but aquitted on charges of conspiring to ship explosives to anti-[[Castro]][[Cuba]]ns in [[Mexico]]. From 1973 to 1982 he ran a no questions asked aiplane dealership, which included as customers the [[CIA]]. During this period he also flew [[marijuana]], and later [[cocaine]] from [[Colombia]] to his private airstrip in [[Baton Rouge]], [[Louisiana]]. | '''Barry Seal''' was a Green Beret in the [[Vietnam war]] and later a pilot for TWA. In 1972 he was indicted but aquitted on charges of conspiring to ship explosives to anti-[[Castro]][[Cuba]]ns in [[Mexico]]. From 1973 to 1982 he ran a no questions asked aiplane dealership, which included as customers the [[CIA]]. During this period he also flew [[marijuana]], and later [[cocaine]] from [[Colombia]] to his private airstrip in [[Baton Rouge]], [[Louisiana]]. | ||
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| + | ==Turns government informant== | ||
In 1982 he was arrested in Ft. Lauderdale, [[Florida]] for possession with intent to deliver quaaludes. He faced a 10-year sentence. He tried to cut a deal with the [[DEA]], but they weren't interested. So, Seal flew to [[Washington, DC]] for a hearing before the National Narcotics Border Interdiction Task Force. The NNBITF was a Vice Presidential Task Force. They overruled the concerns of the [[Miami]] DEA office and made an arrangement with Seal.<ref>https://www.mail-archive.com/ctrl@listserv.aol.com/msg31127.html </ref> He was put to work in Operation Screamer, which included the largest drug bust in Nevada history. Later, [[Oliver North]]'s network had Seal work undercover to discredit the [[Sandinista]] government. Seal agreed to fly his C-130 transport plane to a site where Sandinista soldiers would be photographed loading it with 750 kilos of cocaine.<ref>https://youtu.be/7yc3Zmz3z3M </ref> This photo evidence was widely publicized in the US, until it became known that they had been faked. That cleared Seal of the DEA. North then recruited the ex-Green Beret to help manage and fly missions to [[Central America]]. That took him to Mena, Arkansas.<ref>http://www.idfiles.com/menacoverup.htm </ref> | In 1982 he was arrested in Ft. Lauderdale, [[Florida]] for possession with intent to deliver quaaludes. He faced a 10-year sentence. He tried to cut a deal with the [[DEA]], but they weren't interested. So, Seal flew to [[Washington, DC]] for a hearing before the National Narcotics Border Interdiction Task Force. The NNBITF was a Vice Presidential Task Force. They overruled the concerns of the [[Miami]] DEA office and made an arrangement with Seal.<ref>https://www.mail-archive.com/ctrl@listserv.aol.com/msg31127.html </ref> He was put to work in Operation Screamer, which included the largest drug bust in Nevada history. Later, [[Oliver North]]'s network had Seal work undercover to discredit the [[Sandinista]] government. Seal agreed to fly his C-130 transport plane to a site where Sandinista soldiers would be photographed loading it with 750 kilos of cocaine.<ref>https://youtu.be/7yc3Zmz3z3M </ref> This photo evidence was widely publicized in the US, until it became known that they had been faked. That cleared Seal of the DEA. North then recruited the ex-Green Beret to help manage and fly missions to [[Central America]]. That took him to Mena, Arkansas.<ref>http://www.idfiles.com/menacoverup.htm </ref> | ||
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| + | ==Mena, Arkansas== | ||
Seal first made contact with the Medellin cartel's Miami contacts, Fillix Dixon Bates and Carlos Bustmante. Medellin was headed at time by the Ochoa brothers: Juan, Jorge and Flavio Ochoa. Soon he was in Colombia contracting with the Ochoas to deliver their cocaine to customers in Miami and the West Coast. | Seal first made contact with the Medellin cartel's Miami contacts, Fillix Dixon Bates and Carlos Bustmante. Medellin was headed at time by the Ochoa brothers: Juan, Jorge and Flavio Ochoa. Soon he was in Colombia contracting with the Ochoas to deliver their cocaine to customers in Miami and the West Coast. | ||
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Hutchinson was succeeded as [[United States Attorney]] by Michael Fitzhugh. Duncan made several trips to Fort Smith, Arkansas to talk to Fitzhugh but said the trips were to no avail. Duncan later testified that the Mena Airport money laundering was covered up by the United States Attorney. He had not been called to testify before the federal grand jury on Mena. The FBI also kept a file on the Mena airport for years. | Hutchinson was succeeded as [[United States Attorney]] by Michael Fitzhugh. Duncan made several trips to Fort Smith, Arkansas to talk to Fitzhugh but said the trips were to no avail. Duncan later testified that the Mena Airport money laundering was covered up by the United States Attorney. He had not been called to testify before the federal grand jury on Mena. The FBI also kept a file on the Mena airport for years. | ||
| + | ==Death== | ||
In the summer of 1985, Seal appeared before Sen. [[John Kerry]]'s Subcommittee on Terrorism, Narcotics, and International Operations and gave testimony against the Medellin cartel, implicating the Ochoa Brothers. | In the summer of 1985, Seal appeared before Sen. [[John Kerry]]'s Subcommittee on Terrorism, Narcotics, and International Operations and gave testimony against the Medellin cartel, implicating the Ochoa Brothers. | ||
In December 1985 Seal was sentenced on earlier [[drug]] charges to six months probation with community service at a [[Salvation Army]] shelter. He was not to leave Baton Rouge or carry a [[firearm]]. Seal began his Salvation Army shelter stint in January, 1986. Then on February 19, he was assassinated in front of the shelter, shot over 50 times with an Ingram Mac-10 and an [[Uzi]]. | In December 1985 Seal was sentenced on earlier [[drug]] charges to six months probation with community service at a [[Salvation Army]] shelter. He was not to leave Baton Rouge or carry a [[firearm]]. Seal began his Salvation Army shelter stint in January, 1986. Then on February 19, he was assassinated in front of the shelter, shot over 50 times with an Ingram Mac-10 and an [[Uzi]]. | ||
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| + | ==Posthumous findings== | ||
| + | Later after he was no longer working for IRS, Duncan testified before the House Government Operations Subcommittee that evidence showed [[drug smuggling]], gun running, money laundering and covert operations by Seal and employees and contract operatives of the United States intelligence services whereby profits were used to fund covert aid to tbe Contra. | ||
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| + | United States Representative Bill Alexander, representing the 1st District of Arkansas, and Arkansas Secretary of State Winston Bryant flew to Washington to deliver evidence to Lawrence Walsh, special prosecutor for the Iran-Contra investigation, and told Walsh there was absolutely an Iran-Contra connection with Mena, Arkansas. Later the congressman said the Feds dropped the ball and covered it up. | ||
==See also== | ==See also== | ||
Revision as of 05:02, October 16, 2016
Barry Seal was a Green Beret in the Vietnam war and later a pilot for TWA. In 1972 he was indicted but aquitted on charges of conspiring to ship explosives to anti-CastroCubans in Mexico. From 1973 to 1982 he ran a no questions asked aiplane dealership, which included as customers the CIA. During this period he also flew marijuana, and later cocaine from Colombia to his private airstrip in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Turns government informant
In 1982 he was arrested in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida for possession with intent to deliver quaaludes. He faced a 10-year sentence. He tried to cut a deal with the DEA, but they weren't interested. So, Seal flew to Washington, DC for a hearing before the National Narcotics Border Interdiction Task Force. The NNBITF was a Vice Presidential Task Force. They overruled the concerns of the Miami DEA office and made an arrangement with Seal.[1] He was put to work in Operation Screamer, which included the largest drug bust in Nevada history. Later, Oliver North's network had Seal work undercover to discredit the Sandinista government. Seal agreed to fly his C-130 transport plane to a site where Sandinista soldiers would be photographed loading it with 750 kilos of cocaine.[2] This photo evidence was widely publicized in the US, until it became known that they had been faked. That cleared Seal of the DEA. North then recruited the ex-Green Beret to help manage and fly missions to Central America. That took him to Mena, Arkansas.[3]
Mena, Arkansas
Seal first made contact with the Medellin cartel's Miami contacts, Fillix Dixon Bates and Carlos Bustmante. Medellin was headed at time by the Ochoa brothers: Juan, Jorge and Flavio Ochoa. Soon he was in Colombia contracting with the Ochoas to deliver their cocaine to customers in Miami and the West Coast.
Internal Revenue Service agent Bill Duncan was asked by United States Attorney Asa Hutchinson to look for evidence of money laundering, which Duncan found. Duncan reported that Seal had a Learjet, helicopters, military cargo planes, several smaller planes, and two ships with navigational equipment, one of which had a helipad.
Seal said in a federal drug trial in Las Vegas, Nevada in 1985 that he flew 10 flights a year for 10 years carrying from 600-1200 pounds of cocaine each trip, the cocaine being worth $20,000-$50,000 a pound.
The Boland Amendment restricted President Ronald Reagan from using US funds to directly exercise his foreign policy objective of removinging the Soviet and Cuban backed Sandinista regime of Nicaragua which was using its toehold in Central America to foment violent revolution in neighboring El Salvador. It specifically barred the CIA and the DIA from assisting the Nicarauguan Contra rebels.
A covert non-governmental organization was set up to train pilots in Arkansas and ship weapons purchased with non-governmental funds to Nicaragua. State police investigator Russell Welch supplied then United States Attorney Asa Hutchinson with a list of 20 witnesses that included Barry Seal and officers of Rich Mountain Aviation in Mena, but Hutchinson only subpoenaed two of the 20 witnesses to the grand jury and they complained that Hutchinson asked nothing about the crime.
Hutchinson was succeeded as United States Attorney by Michael Fitzhugh. Duncan made several trips to Fort Smith, Arkansas to talk to Fitzhugh but said the trips were to no avail. Duncan later testified that the Mena Airport money laundering was covered up by the United States Attorney. He had not been called to testify before the federal grand jury on Mena. The FBI also kept a file on the Mena airport for years.
Death
In the summer of 1985, Seal appeared before Sen. John Kerry's Subcommittee on Terrorism, Narcotics, and International Operations and gave testimony against the Medellin cartel, implicating the Ochoa Brothers.
In December 1985 Seal was sentenced on earlier drug charges to six months probation with community service at a Salvation Army shelter. He was not to leave Baton Rouge or carry a firearm. Seal began his Salvation Army shelter stint in January, 1986. Then on February 19, he was assassinated in front of the shelter, shot over 50 times with an Ingram Mac-10 and an Uzi.
Posthumous findings
Later after he was no longer working for IRS, Duncan testified before the House Government Operations Subcommittee that evidence showed drug smuggling, gun running, money laundering and covert operations by Seal and employees and contract operatives of the United States intelligence services whereby profits were used to fund covert aid to tbe Contra.
United States Representative Bill Alexander, representing the 1st District of Arkansas, and Arkansas Secretary of State Winston Bryant flew to Washington to deliver evidence to Lawrence Walsh, special prosecutor for the Iran-Contra investigation, and told Walsh there was absolutely an Iran-Contra connection with Mena, Arkansas. Later the congressman said the Feds dropped the ball and covered it up.