The Command Post
Global War on Terror
May 18, 2004
Deadly N. Korea Train Had Missiles on Board

The North Korean train that exploded last month had a cargo uknown until now: a missile shipment to Syria. The blast also killed twelve Syrian technicians that were on board.

U.S. officials confirmed a report in a Japanese daily newspaper that a train explosion on April 22 killed about a dozen Syrian technicians near the Ryongchon province in North Korea. The officials said the technicians were accompanying a train car full of missile components and other equipment from a facility near the Chinese border to a North Korea port.

A U.S. official said North Korean train cargo was also believed to have contained tools for the production of ballistic missiles. North Korea has sold Syria the extended-range Scud C and Scud D missiles, according to reports by Middle East Newsline.

Posted by Michele at May 18, 2004 01:53 PM | TrackBack
Comments

Hmm....... accident do happen.

Posted by: Mark Buehner at May 18, 2004 03:18 PM

Mark,
Not often enough...unfortunately.

Posted by: Mike H. at May 18, 2004 04:05 PM

Its odd that the NORKS showed up in bio-hazzard suits to collect 'tools' ... must be the thoes new sensitive nono-bot tools for Scud production.

Posted by: mdmhvonpa at May 18, 2004 04:09 PM

This probably was an accident. It would be nice to think that somone, somewhere in the U.S. or Israel could have been watching and destroyed this shipment before it became weapons, but that is NOT really likely.

Perhaps the Japanese ?

Posted by: leaddog2 at May 18, 2004 04:37 PM

Actually, Leaddog, the Israeli's specialize is these ridiculous "james bond" type missions.

Posted by: eric at May 18, 2004 05:00 PM

As I've read elsewhere, the likely candidates are:

South Korea, Japan, United State, Israel, China.

South Korea & Japan does not have the political will to do this.

The explosion is a bit too imprecise and have too much collatorial damage to be done by US or Israel.

That leaves China, who is actually the one closest to the scene, with ample opportunity, and very little regard to civilian casuality.

Posted by: BigFire at May 18, 2004 05:10 PM

mdmhvonpa:

"Its odd that the NORKS showed up in bio-hazzard suits to collect ‘tools’ "

If there was any rocket fuel aboard, that can be nasty stuff, depending on the type, including highly corrosive, man-eating kind of materials that could attack ya when picking up whatever important pieces remain ("tools").

Posted by: Max Darkside at May 18, 2004 09:36 PM

Couldn't happen to a nicer bunch of people,could it ?

Posted by: glider at May 19, 2004 04:30 AM

I do believe I mentioned rocket fuel when this 'accident' first occured. Interestingly Nork technicians were killed in a Syrian explosion a year or two ago and now Syrian technicians have been killed in a Nork explosion - fascinating.
This was no ordinary accident. My guess: Rogue Nork military on the Israeli/American payroll.

Posted by: AngloAmerican at May 19, 2004 02:24 PM

"Perhaps the Japanese ?" leapdog2-

Last time i checked the Japanese were extremely low on government employed ninja operatives. If it is indeed espionage i would be more likely to point my finger at the USA or quite possibly even China, dont laugh, if the chinese think that kimmy needs a wakeup call im sure they wouldnt hesitate.

Posted by: Ronin at May 19, 2004 02:34 PM

B-2 with a JSOW from high altitude

Posted by: Lost at May 19, 2004 06:23 PM

My bet?

Dumb guard who had to have one last cigarette before going to bed.

Posted by: The Yangban at May 20, 2004 10:41 AM

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