Alex at The Yorkshire Ranter has a new update on Operation Firedump:
In past posts on TYR, we’ve often mentioned a BAC-111 aircraft registered 3C-QRF, serial number 61. This plane belongs to the curious Jetline International of Sharjah, who we’ve discussed quite a bit. Aerotransport.org lists 3C-QRF as operated by Jetline for San Air General Trading, Richard Chichakli’s firm, which is now on the UN sanctions blacklist regarding Liberia. Now, unusually, we also know where 3C-QRF is: it’s in storage at Baneasa airfield on the edge of Bucharest.
This would seem to make it a priority target. If we can’t ground an aircraft that’s in Europe and not flying much, we might as well give up. The question is supporting the link with San Air and illegal activities. The operator of aerotransport.org says that there was a single report placing it with San Air; I’m trying to clarify the nature of the report. But it’s well worth remembering that 3C-QRF has indeed been used to smuggle arms: check out the July, 2004 UN Security Council report on arms sanctions in the DR Congo, here (pdf). Not just that, it was the venue for a mysterious council-of-war between the Congolese vice-president Jean-Pierre Bemba, who is related by marriage to Sanjivan Ruprah, and supposedly Libyan emissaries (press reporting here, Romanian press cached here)
So much for the bullshit. Now for the brief. Here is the list of contacts for the Romanian embassy in the UK. The Political Section sounds like the right one, or perhaps Home Affairs? Don’t copy-paste posts, and do not commit spam, but do make the case for 3C-QRF’s investigation. US readers could try here and use the "reach us" tab – the website is terribly designed. French readers will be pleased to know that the defence attache’s phone number is 01.47.53.70.23. The Romanian government website is www.guv.ro, strangely enough.
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