A convicted Chinagate figure linked to Communist Chinese intelligence
obtained detailed information on the U.S. Patriot missile system,
according to documents found in John Huang's Commerce Department office.
The documents reveal that the Clinton Commerce Department appointee, who
pled guilty to campaign finance violations in August 1999, met with
American defense contractor Raytheon in an effort to sell the advanced
anti-missile system to South Korea.
The documents, part of a cache of over 200 boxes of material, were
obtained by Judicial Watch, a Washington, D.C.-based legal watchdog
group.
"Huang took the Fifth Amendment more than 2,000 times when asked by
Judicial Watch if he had ties to Chinese intelligence," stated author
and Asian Defense analyst William Triplett.
Russian SCUD missile. According to documents found in John Huang's files, the North Korean SCUD ballistic mobile missile is a prime threat to South Korean cities. |
Moreover, said Triplett, co-author of "Red Dragon Rising," the
Commerce Department has no authority over weapons sales.
"Commerce doesn't do weapons," stated Triplett flatly.
Investigators inside Congress requested and obtained copies of the
Huang documents. According to the investigators, Huang never mentioned
working on the Patriot missile sale during his congressional testimony.
"We were not aware that Mr. Huang had dealings with weapons for South
Korea," stated the source inside Congress who requested not to be
identified.
"The only known ties Huang had with South Korea was a two hundred and
fifty thousand dollar donation to the DNC from Cheong Am company,"
stated the Capitol Hill source.
The Commerce Department had been accused previously of illegally
approving military technology sales to China. In December 1998, the
Defense Department accused the Commerce Department of issuing licenses
to the Chinese military that constituted a "defense service" within the
meaning of the State Department's International Traffic in Arms
Regulations under the Arms Control Act.
"This was clearly beyond the scope of Commerce export control
jurisdiction," the Defense Department wrote, "because only the
Department of State is authorized to issue licenses for defense
services."
The U.S. Army currently deploys the Patriot to protect over 37,000
U.S. troops stationed in South Korea against North Korean ballistic
missiles. The Patriot system also has been sold to Japan and Taiwan for
missile defense against Communist China. South Korea has not elected to
buy the Patriot, but are reported to be considering a future purchase.
The missile documents found in the files of John Huang contain
details of a Nov. 3, 1994 meeting requested by Raytheon, the U.S.
manufacturer of the Patriot. In an October 1994 letter to Sue Eckert of
the Commerce Department, Richard Elliot of the legal offices of Paul,
Weiss, Rifkin, Wharton and Garrison, noted that Raytheon requested and
obtained the meeting. According to the documents, the meeting was held
at the Commerce Department.
A Patriot missile is launched by soldiers of the 11th Brigade, 43rd Air Defense Artillery, at McGregor Range near El Paso, Texas. Data on a sale of Patriot missiles was found inside the files of convicted Chinagate figure John Huang. |
"Thank you for agreeing to host a meeting with representatives of
Raytheon at 2:30 pm next Thursday, November 3," wrote Elliot. "As we
discussed, the purpose of the meeting is to brief you and other Commerce
Department officials concerning Raytheon's efforts to sell the Patriot
missile system to South Korea. Needless to say, we would like to request
Commerce Department support for these efforts -- and, in particular, for
accelerated South Korean procurement of the Patriot."
Elliot also included an attachment of Patriot missile data for Huang,
including "Coalition" military tactical information on North Korean
offensive missiles and "U.S. Army analysis" of South Korean defenses.
According to a Raytheon attachment, titled "Modernization of South
Korean Air Defense," South Korea has no defense against a North Korean
missile attack.
"The North Korean threat consists primarily of high performance
aircraft, cruise missiles and an extensive family of tactical ballistic
missiles. The SCUD tactical ballistic missiles deployed by North Korea
are a serious threat to all populated areas and industrial areas and
military forces in South Korea," noted the Raytheon document.
"Korea is currently considering a minimum Patriot acquisition program
of five Patriot Fire Units, four tactical and one training. U.S. Army
analysis presented to the government of Korea in May 1993 assessed that
this minimum program can be deployed as an integrated air defense with
existing HAWK and other air defense assets and effectively defend the
populated areas of Seoul and Inchon against the full range of North
Korean high performance aircraft, cruise missiles and SCUD tactical
ballistic missiles.
"North Korea, as a leading developer and exporter of these weapons,
will continue to increase the accuracy of its tactical ballistic
missiles which raises the specter of selective destruction of key
industrial assets such as nuclear power facilities. A Patriot defense
can counter this growing threat and preclude the use of this threat as a
future means of coercion," states the Raytheon document.
"At the request of the Ministry of Defense planners, the proposed
program includes four tactical Fire Units with six launchers each, a
training fire unit with two launchers, and a total of 196 Patriot
missiles; intended for the defense of the Seoul/Inchon metropolitan
area.
"Rapid reinforcement of South Korea by Coalition nations cannot occur
until air superiority is established following the outbreak of
hostilities. Given the close proximity of Seoul to the North Korean
threat, this air superiority must be in place prior to the conflict, air
lifts of reinforcements can begin immediately and available friendly air
power can be freed to place maximum effort on interdiction of attacking
land forces," noted the document.
"An all weather, day and night Patriot Missile defense of South Korea
is essential to establishing a credible long term deterrence to the
North Korean aircraft, cruise and tactical ballistic missile threats and
is key to the United States objectives for regional stability."
"The destabilizing influence of North Korea's tactical ballistic
missile program must be countered with a defensive capability that can
deny the use of these missiles as weapons of terror against the people
of South Korea," states the Raytheon document from John Huang's files.
The Huang Patriot missile documents appeared at the same time China's
People's Liberation Army Lt. Gen. Xiong Guankai, deputy chief of staff
for intelligence, arrived in Washington to begin three days of
meetings. Xiong is scheduled to meet Defense Secretary William S. Cohen
and other senior Pentagon officials.
China was recently accused of passing missile technology to North
Korea by the U.S. State Department. However, according to China expert
Triplett, Huang is not the only person who can answer questions about
possible Chinese espionage.
"General Xiong can answer all of the questions," asserted Triplett.
"All of the campaign finance scandal comes to him. He is the head of
Chinese military intelligence. He approved the three hundred thousand
dollars to be given to Johnny Chung. This guy can answer the questions
about the Clinton China scandal for Judicial Watch, Congress and the
American people."
Although no subpoena has been issued by either Congress or Judicial
Watch for the Chinese general to appear, Xiong's visit to America is
reason for concern, noted Triplett.
"He wanted to turn Los Angles into radioactive glass," stated
Triplett. "He threatened the United States with nuclear weapons. He
is not a nice guy."
Charles Smith is a national
security and defense reporter for WorldNetDaily.