Former spy found guilty

Press, 19 November 1982, Page 8

Former spy found guilty

NZPA Washington A Federal court yesterday found a former C.I.A. agent, Edwin Wilson, guilty on seven of eight counts of smuggling four pistols and an Ml 6 rifle to Libyan officials in 1979 as part of a scheme that ultimately won him more than SUS2O million dollars in contracts with the Arab Government. United States District Judge Richard Williams set sentencing for December 17. Wilson, who remains in custody on SUS6O million bail,

faced a maximum penalty of of 39 years in prison and a fine of $240,000. The jury acquitted him of one count, transporting four pistols across state lines from North Carolina to Virginia without proper registration. In London, the Old Bailey Central Criminal Court was told yesterday that three British businessmen had helped smuggle thousands of dollars worth of arms and ammunition to Libya via its foreign embassies.

The prosecution said that between January 1, 1980 and March 28, 1981, the three men were part of an elaborate plan to smuggle pistols and revolvers out of Britain to Libyan “diplomatic outposts.” About 275 pistols and thousands of rounds of ammunition valued at more that $NZ202,000 had allegedly been smuggled out of Britain, The three have pleaded not guilty. The case is continuing.