-company official testifies in US court
The Co-director of UK firm Smith Myers yesterday testified in a New York court that the cellular intercept equipment used by drug kingpin Roger Khan had been sold to the Government of Guyana (GoG), a contention that officials here have repeatedly denied.
Peter Myers, who co-founded the firm, testified under oath that the intercept equipment, including an intercept receiver and two laptops, was sold by the company’s Florida sales office through the Fort Lauderdale-based Spy Shop to the GoG. According to Capitol News, Meyers, who identified the equipment in court and said it was only sold to governments, was addressing the Brooklyn, New York Federal court, where former Khan lawyer Robert Simels is being tried for witness tampering. Simels’ defence yesterday again identified Health Minister Dr. Leslie Ramsammy as the purchaser of the equipment on behalf of the GoG-a charge that the minister continued to deny up to late last evening.
Smith Myers’ profile lists it as a company that specialises in cellular engineering, designing and manufacturing cellular measurement equipment for cellular network operators worldwide. It has been producing application specific cellular measurement equipment since 1986 and is well regarded around the world for its expertise and quality of equipment.
The intercept receiver Myers said was identified as the CSM 7806 as well as two “TOUGHBOOK” Laptops, a small one and a larger one. He told the court both in direct evidence and during cross-examination that the only things missing from the equipment that was sold to Guyana were a USB cable and a small rubber antenna, both regular items that could be picked up at any electronic store. Myers, in his testimony, said that both laptops were working, while the intercept receiver had a minor power supply problem.
He explained that his company has manufactured such equipment to be sold to law enforcement agencies at a price of around roughly US$75,000. The equipment allows intelligence officers to intercept cellular phone calls using the receiver and the data can be sent by USB cable to the laptops where the numbers and the conversations/communication can be recorded onto the hard drive. He said while any laptop can be used running on Windows XP or other systems, the Intercept CSM 7800 series is necessary to passively intercept the radio frequencies on which all cellular phones operate.
Myers was shown the operating software CD and he identified it as belonging to his company and stated that the software would have accompanied the equipment sale. He further identified printouts and photographs of the two “Toughbook” laptops and confirmed them as the company’s operating systems.
He also testified that an independent contractor, a trainer named Carl Chapman, had been dispatched to Guyana to train the persons who had to use the laptops. Further, Simels’ defence team maintains in emails and subpoenas that Khan was trained by Chapman to use the equipment. The US government intends to call the FEDEX individuals who were responsible for the movement of the equipment from the US back to Guyana and back to Simels office, from where the authorities seized it. Stabroek News had reported on the visit of the trainer but the government and the immigration department were mum on this.
Meanwhile, lengthy lists of Guyana telephone numbers gleaned from the spy equipment with target names like “Fineman” next to some of them were shown to the court. Among the numbers, were one allegedly assigned to dead fugitive Rondell “Fineman” Rawlins and another belonging to opposition leader Robert Corbin. The sheets of the list of numbers were entered into evidence and are available as part of the case docket.
In a comment last night, Corbin told Stabroek News that he was not surprised to learn of the revelations. “I had said so publicly before and it is clear that Roger Khan was facilitating the government with it since then,” he said, noting that it was known that Khan had tapped the phone of former Police Commissioner Winston Felix.
He said the government had been silent because Khan was working as an agent on its behalf. The opposition leader emphasised that he was conscious of the fact that he was being tapped and he added that the number was still tapped presently. During last year’s parliamentary debate on the law to allow wiretaps, Corbin had argued that the government was only seeking to “legitimise” what it was already doing.
According to court papers seen by Stabroek News, the specialised equipment was among the items seized from the New York office of Simels during an investigation. In an affidavit in support of a search warrant executed on Simels’ office, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) officer Cassandra Jackson said the equipment was shipped by the lawyer to his York Avenue, New York office.
‘No I did not!’
Khan’s defence yesterday maintained that Ramsammy was the purchaser of the equipment. Defence attorney Gerald Shargel told Capitol News that the evidence shows Ramsammy authorised the purchase on behalf of the GoG.
Ramsammy, who has denied testimony of his alleged links to Khan, said he was not the purchaser. “No I did not!” he told Stabroek News when asked about the claim last evening, adding, “And that is all I am, prepared to say about the issue.” On Tuesday, a US government informant Selwyn Vaughn linked Ramsammy to Khan. Subsequently, the Minister distanced himself from the allegations about his connections to Khan, calling the claims “absurd” and charging that the witness was trying to frame him.
Meanwhile, Capitol News also noted that since Smith Myers is a UK-based company, it could be asked by the GoG or a Guyana court to produce the authorisation the Florida Office received to allow the equipment to be sold to Guyana.
In December 2002, an army patrol discovered the sophisticated electronic surveillance equipment and arms in a pick-up that Khan, Haroon Yahya and policeman Sean Belfield were in at Good Hope, on the East Coast Demerara. Khan and his cohorts had told law enforcement officials at the time that they were in search of Shawn Brown and the other February 2002 Camp Street prison escapees.
Police Commissioner Henry Greene had maintained that local law enforcement is in possession of the equipment seized from Khan in 2002. When asked what the force was going to do with the equipment and why it had not been used to track some of Khan’s former associates, he said it would be “used as evidence.”
After he was held by the US his lawyers claimed that when the escapees went on a killing spree, Khan responded to the crisis, providing financial and logistical support to the government. In June last year, as Khan battled a drug smuggling indictment, his lawyers disclosed that a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) probe had found that the GoG had given Khan permission to purchase the sensitive electronic surveillance equipment from the Spy Shop in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and this was reported in the Stabroek News. On June 9, 2008, the Home Affairs Ministry issued a statement rejecting the claim, saying that both Guyana and the US had strict sale and import/export controls on such items. “In Guyana, such sensitive electronic items could only be procured and imported for the exclusive use of law enforcement agencies,” the statement said. “Such a request by the law enforcement agencies of Guyana would have to be approved by the relevant authorities before an application is made by the [GoG] to the relevant American authorities for approval for the item to be exported to Guyana. The Ministry of Home Affairs asserts that it did not authorize the importation of the electronic equipment under question nor did it seek any approval of the US authorities for an export licence for the item. In the context of the above, the Ministry of Home Affairs has since requested the American authorities to provide it with the records of all such applications made by the Government of Guyana during the period of the operations of the Roger Khan outfit.”
Cabinet Secretary Dr Roger Luncheon shortly after said that he had neither signed any document authorising Khan to import the equipment nor had colluded with him to do so. Meanwhile, on June 25, last year, President Bharrat Jagdeo said that the spy equipment was in the custody of the police and had not worked since it was confiscated.
He also reiterated that the GoG could not give permission to Khan to import the sophisticated surveillance equipment from the Spy Shop. Jagdeo said it was only the US government which could have authorised the sale, while noting that a formal request had been made to the US State Department on the issue as well as allegations from the US government that Khan may have been tied to a group responsible for over 200 murders during the period of 2002 to 2006. “We don’t have any hard evidence about these claims but we have nothing to hide so we have requested the information from the US and whatever are the responses we will make it public,” Jagdeo declared at the time.
During the period he represented Khan, Simels sent emails to Myers, seeking to confirm who had trained Khan. “This is a simple matter – Spy Shop purchased this machine on the authority of the Guyana Government. Your company provided technical support in the training of individuals in Guyana. Providing a simple invoice for training, without any other documentation as to who provided the training, the underlying billing rather than a lump sum figure for travel and lodging accommodations in Guyana, and significantly, the actual invoice for the sale of the triangulation equipment are all within your possession and your company is subject to the subpoena and compliance since you have a US office. We can also use international treaties to enforce, and I will not hesitate to do so, if needed,” Simels told Myers in an email.
Simels’ emails to the company representatives were released as exhibits in a motion he filed in a bid to have the charges of mailing and possession of eavesdropping equipment that were recently filed against him and his former assistant, Arienne Irving, dismissed. Simels and Irving, who had been charged with witness tampering jointly with Khan, who has since pleaded guilty to the charge as well as drug trafficking charges and a separate gun-running charge.
Lawd….lawd……’poor Leslie’…..
What folks need to be asking at this juncture is this: Was the Guyana Government complicit in Roger Khan’s drug smuggling activities even before he became involved in Phantom Squad operations? Notice that the US State Dept. did put out a narcotics report on Guyana that named Roger Khan as a major smuggler of narcs out of Guyana to America, and when the US talked about Guyanese drug smugglers, the Guyana Government asked for names before it could act. Now that Khan has pleaded guilty to drug smuggling, does that guilt imply he had protection/coverage from the Guyana Government? We know he offered to take 15 years, but we don’t know what he revealed in making the plea offer. This has to have several players in Guyana uneasy. The hammer is going to fall several times and really hard.
SN WHY ARE MY BLOGS< you the moderator is bloody bias.
those are extract from reliable/reputable source not like yours.
for all the haters, I SAY IT NOW AND LATER< THIS GOVT GOING NO WHERE
SORRY sam brandon no minista job for you from ramjattan because trot man will kick him as he did with de woman, you know who.
HAHJAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAA the last laugh.
SN used your axe.
Bharat Jagdeo resign and save the Office of the President of Guyana this shame from which we are all hanging our heads in disgrace.
Resign now Jagdeo and co before there is nowhere to hide
Ramsammy has no credibility. These people, have taken Guyana into an abyss of shame.
To all the Kool-Aid Drinkers: Are you willing to admit that you have replaced the Burnham dictatorship with the Jagdeo tyranny? A government that lies and obfuscates cannot command the trust of the people. Remove the presidential immunity provision of the constitution.
RESIGN MR.PRESIDENT and take all those who are devoid of integrity with you . Is Peter Myers lying ? Jagdeo and his minions should find somewhere to hide from the TRUTH .
“The TRUTH is a mighty SWORD” .
Cannot resign and let the terrorists win.
“History (Folks, They Say) Is A Great Teacher; And, It Always Holds The Truth” (Which Make Some People Free)!
Now, all Is Being Revealed!
Wonder what Jagdeo will say now. You can only fool some of the people some of the time.
He will say, I had no knowledge of Minister Ramsammy’s alleged indiscretions.
I asked him the burden of proof is on him.
Just want to know , I go to Guyana on a regular for personal reasons now every time I go even though I am a Residing Guyanese making a living overseas, I have to declare purpose for my trip and where I am staying and how long and that sort of stuff ..@ Airport.
Now this guy came from UK to Train someone in the country in use of a piece of equipment that only suppose to be sold to Governments.. I am sure he had to declare his purpose seeing that in his mind he is not doing anything illegal.
So why are we being hoodwinked on this whole issue.
Common people give us credit for being a little, even if not a lot intelligent.
Can the C.O.P. and Jagdeo produce the spy equiqment they have in their possession?
If Roger Khan with his spy equipment could listen to conversations with P.P.P. enemies couldn’t he do the same to Varshnie?
Is the C.O.P. a political lackey of the P.P.P. government?
Has Henry Greene been neutered and emasculated in his ambition to become the C.O.P.?
After the testimony under oath in New York can we trust the words of those in authority in Guyana?
Are those in Guyana willing to provide testimony under oath?
Is Jagdeo willing to reject presidential immunity so that the truth of the situation can be derived?
Oh, what a tangled web they weave. If the Guyana police has the spy equipment what the hell is it doing in the US court? Who lieing? Let Dr. Ramsammy convince us thet he really does not know how the spy equipment came into the country and that he had nothing to do with Roger Khan.
Now we have a senior executive telling the US court under oath, that the equipment Khan was caught with was sold to the Guyana Government. Dr. Ramsammy has began to sound like a little boy who was caught.
Spin doctor at work. That’s the answer. Any head of state who is the only person who can address issues in an on going investigation has something to hide. Where is the Comissioner of Police, the Ministrer of Home Affairs? Why are they hiding? This smells to heaven.
Reddy, let me hear you now and know….. Mr. President please clear your name and distance yourself from this Minister.
Why should the president distance himself from the Minister? He was the one who appointed him As the head of sttate, he is responsible for the actions of the personnel he has appointed.
Mack, While the head of state may have appointed a minister, he is not responsible for the ministers actions. However, if charges of misconduct was PROVEN by a judicial process, then the head of state assumes the responsibility of replacing the minister.
I thought living in the USA may have enlightened you a bit. Obama is not responsible for what is appointees do or say. All he can do is terminate their service. Heck, some people can’t even be responsible for the actions of their own kids.
csingh- That is avery silly statement. If the head of the country is not responsible for his minister’s actions, then who. I remember now, it Forbes Burnham.
csingh, i notice that you are very defensive when issues are raised about the president. It is really absord for you to try to convince us that the president is unaware of the purchase of the equipment.
Why has Khan called anyother name? Why didn’t he say that he was working for the PNC, ROAR, or any other party?
Carl, Really, put yourself in the President’s shoes. If you select a candidate for a position in your administration, how can you control what comes out of their mouth. How can you contriol their actions. All you can do is react. It is a no brainer.
get real they have notting on the president and ramsammy, enrico can report how much he wants would be like trowing water on ducks back..
Ceasing as president you are the leader of the party and if you cannot get the people you have installed to tow the line and follow your lead then you have failed as a leader and its time to step down.
There are many other reasons and greater reasons why Jagdeo and the PPP have failed and it is time for them to step down and resign. There is no confidence in this government anymore.
Keep denying denying denying PPP as I said Time is on the people’s side.
Let me help you boys out today.
SN you reporting pure hearsay, you are a biased newspaper trying to destabilize a useless deh bad government.
Ramsammy is a good man, (watch for the tears today) he is sacrificing a lot for this country. We should not be attacking this man but thanking him for his service.
anything else Red Rover?
Solideer? – empty drums eh?
Space loaknauth – ? your wonderful govt is now being exposed as worse than the PHENC.
Coolieman? i dont even know what to say to you and freespeech.
Freespeech maybe you are going to become speechless soon.
You are not far from Vaughn , Samaroo, both of you are in the same boat captained by a Capitol News Reporter in NY, who can only use the paddle on his right side,,, so you are just in circles all the time… Visionless and making a bundle of noise like empty barrels….
Samroo, I’m flattered that you copying my style.But you got to learn to think for yourself, banna. I can’t continue to do it for you. I invited you to come to Barbados for this weekends’ Crop Over Festival to relax your (excited , feeling that you onto a good thing here) head before the big let down come.
We all know where all this so called testimony going, don’t we ? Answer: in the archives where it will be forgotten despite the efforts of the opportunists to revive it and Guyana will continue to progress and develop….
It’s Friday so come on and admit it and let’s be happy and I will help you get over the big let down…Peace
You like trouble na Reddy??? That man mouth does work 9 knotts per second, he already talk out all his sense, you want people laugh you now in Barbados, wanting to know which comic you have with you????
Red rover sorry padna I cannot copy your style. Your style is to lick sup and in the face of daunting evidence still sell your soul to the devil.
I abandoned the PPP a long time ago once I realized they were getting their hands dirty in corrupt and possibly criminal activity.
Today I am more convinced than ever that my decision to abandon the PPP was correct and I will continue to voice my opposition to this dictatorship and any dictatorship that carries on with the kind of nonsense the PPP and the PHENC have done in Guyana.
It is time for Jagdeo to go.
Solideer you were asking for the proofs now the proofs are here and your story changing eh. You are not a man of your word.
You just like the PPP cannot be trusted. You have clearly embraced mediocrity and the dictatorship of the PPP.
Ow laudo 28 years gonna be the rhythm you gonna be dancing to again soon. Shameless shameless shameless.
Get some sense of right and wrong man, at least for the children of Guyana’s sake get some sense of righteousness.
the gig is up. Ramsammy must resign and it is time for some honesty and humility from this government. the people killed by the group connected to khan were almost all criminals some of whom committed to causing mayhem as part of a quasi civil war. The government may have been forgiven for taking matters into its own hands if in the years after it had been a more inclusive administration. But it has not and is now deeply isolated. right minded people in Guyana can no longer support this administration.
bsd: speak for yourself. there is no way i, as a right-minded Guyanese, would ever have forgiven the government for this descent into anarchy. even if all the people killed by the phantoms were criminals – and they were not. things were/are at a stage where no one knew who was killing whom and why. the government had a right to approach the UK, US and canada for law enforcement help if they could not handle the situation. using RK and the phantoms was clearly not a means to an end as you seem to b suggesting. there was obviously a more sinister reason, which i am sure we will learn in time. that said i support the call for ramsammy to resign and urge that he do so today.
Folks why get worked up for nothing, especially on Friday ? Simels and Vaughn trying to save their skins.Lawyers mek good money in the US. Yuh think Simel he want to lose he license ?
And what we know about Myers and his company ? Because he give testimony , does it make his company’s bosses testimony above board ?
Folks, I know those who crooning this morning: “I is so happy ! Another Khan revelation in SN ! I is so happy I is ! halleuajah !” and I myself am truly glad for the anti-governemtn types because I know how much anguish and trauma you been going through seeing all the good progress and development in Guyana and I hope you will get back on the righteous path… I know its Friday, but let’s not get hysterical here. Simels and he boys don’t know Guyana. The bottom line, folks, is that the criminals get dead.That’s a done deal. Guyanese in the street happy with that, that ent the truth ?. SN and Capitaol News can run their mouth as much as they want to make money with sensationalism but the Guyanese people of all races know what’s going on and will vote accordingly.
By the way, Corbin’s number was mentioned. Should’nt the headline be:. “CORBIN’S NUMBER FOUND WITH FINEMAN’S ?” Come on, SN, you have to be more obejective and act like the “serious” paper you claim to be….hehehehehe (“Relaxing and looking forward to the long weekend in Barbados and knowing that Guyana continues to progress and develop for all the people under good and responsible hands)).
Hey Mr Jagdeo how r you doin today,did u sleep sound last nite, I’m just sendin u this little comment to ask abt the puzzle that we were tryin to pit together for the past 6 to 7 yrs, just checkin r we there yet, hit me back when u get this. For reddy,ee,coolieman,lambada,wd,soldier ect ect u guys need to pedicure ur brains & see if u guys can help big Jag fix the puzzle, I have 5 more pieces to put in how abt u guys. Jag u need to ask sammy that ques one more time, this time on public tv.
Reddy , is Peter Myers telling lies ? You will never be able to put a spin on this evidence . You , Jagdeo , Ramsammy et al , should go and hide.
REDDY FROM BARBADOS!
I AM CONVINCED THAT YOU ARE NOT READING THIS ARTICLE GOOD. MR. CORIN ‘S NUMBER WAS TAPPED! SHOULD I EXPLAIN IN LOWER TERMS WHAT THAT MEANS-
i agree with every one about Ramsammy resigning but guys,lets wait for the reply to the government from this company that sold the equipment. Jagdeo said that he asked them for a copy of the authorize application.also the tracking from the fedex company.and about the missing equipment from the police….they seem to be losing every thing, remember the AK47s? and this trainer guy should say who accommodated him in Guyana?
poor Sammy ,his name calling in everything.
we need to have the international court of justice look into this matter. guyanese need justice and their government wont give them any.
I tell ya this present administration mekk Burnham and his regime look like boyscouts.
Kittens kittens Galton, dem mekkin farbes look like a kitten.
Drugs and druglords walking ten feet tall, using law-enforcement equiptment to spy on law-enforcement “alledgedly” with the Guyana govt blessings and then they, who else…?
The druglords decided that they could use these same spy-stuff to snuff out their competition, and then they did, and then…AK47 started killing good people in the hands of “employees” or “former employees” of druglords and then govt started to do this crazy mix-up talk and Jagdeo talked the loudest….
Meanwhile, the US govt was/is eating, drinking, laughing, spying…?
Now answer me this: WHO CIVILIZED AND WHO’S THE JACKASS!
This what I am reading is unbelievable but God is in charge
To all my PPP followers or the one’s in denial. I have three words that u must remember (GOD DON’T SLEEP) OR (GOD IS GOOD)..
Rumor has it Jagdeo order a new bed today, apparently he lost some sleep last night. Not a lot but some. Ramsammy should write him a prescription. Or he should call up Michael jackson doctor.