Spies on trail of stolen army rocket launchers,Natalie O'Brien and Patrick Walters,December 23, 2006http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,20966820-5001561,00.html
AUSTRALIA'S peak intelligence and spy agencies will lead a nationwide audit of the defence force's weapons and munitions stocks amid fears a cache of rocket launchers and explosives have been stolen and sold to criminal gangs and terrorists.
Defence Minister Brendan Nelson said yesterday the review would be run by the Defence Security Authority and overseen by a board that would include a representative from the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation spy agency.
"I have agreed that a comprehensive audit of the security policies and practices that apply to defence weapons, munitions and explosives be undertaken," Dr Nelson said. The audit follows revelations last week that military personnel were feared to be behind the black-market sale of rocket launchers (anti-armour weapons) and guns.
The NSW counter-terrorism police and the Australian Federal Police are trying to find eight of nine rocket launchers believed to have been stolen from the army.
One of the launchers has been recovered after police struck a deal with Adnan Darwiche, a Sydney underworld figure serving a double life sentence for murder. It is suspected the launchers were stolen with inside military help.
Dr Nelson said yesterday he had been advised that all current weapon stocks had been accounted for, but there would also be an examination of past accounting records for the weapons.
He announced a ban on the issue of rocket launchers, with the exception of authorised operations, until after the audit was completed and a report tabled at the end of next month.
The second phase of the audit, examining all security aspects of policies and practices on the management of weapons, will be completed by June.
A 53-year-old army sergeant has been charged after rocket launchers, hand grenades, guns and ammunition were seized from Victorian properties last week.
2.what is the SAF penealty of losing rocket launcher ?
