Arms manufacturer on trial

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32462, 24 November 1970, Page 15

Arms manufacturer on trial

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) LAUSANNE, Nov. 23. The head of Switzerland’s biggest arms manufacturer and six of his employees will go on trial in Lausanne today in connection with alleged illegal exports of weapons worth 88,700,000 Swiss francs.

The chief accused is Dr Dieter Buehrle, the 48-year-old head of the family-owned Zurich company, Oerlikon Buehrle. He is also a colonel in the Swiss Army. The Swiss Justice Ministry said last year that 52,700,000 francs worth of Oerlikon Buehrle arms exported illegally between 1963 and 1968 had gone to South Africa. Israel received arms worth 19,500,000 francs and smaller quantities were sent to Nigeria, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Lebanon, the Justice Ministry said. The weapons said to have been involved in the illicit deals included anti-aircraft and other guns, air-to-air rockets and ammunition. Dr Buhrle is accused of failing to prevent the illegal exports. Three others on trial with him face the more serious

charge of providing false documents and false information to obtain or try to obtain export permits for the arms and giving bogus information about their destination. They are: Mr Gabriel Lebedinsky, sales director of the company’s arms section. Dr Alexander Gelbert, his deputy, and Mr Max Meili, a senior executive. The other three accused, whose names have not yet been disclosed, face charges

of having been involved in the deals. Under Swiss law, all arms exports must be authorised by the Government. Because of the country’s policy of neutrality, export permits are not granted for countries at war or considered to be potential areas of conflict • During the period in which the alleged illegal exports were made, South Africa, Nigeria and the Middle East came under the ban.

The trial at the Federal Tribunal Court was expected to last about five days, Court sources said. If found guilty, the seven accused face fines or an unspecified gaol sentence. Switzerland exports nearly 100 million francs worth of arms a year, West Germany being its best customer.