Charges laid for high tech. sales

Press, 1 June 1988, Page 54

Charges laid for high tech. sales

NZPA-AP Rome Two British citizens have been arrested in Rome on charges of illegally exporting high technology material from the United States to Eastern European countries, police officials have said.

One of the men was also under investigation for possible links with Libya, according to the officials of Italy’s antiterrorist DIGOS police unit.

The officials said the two were arrested on separate days after arriving at Rome’s Leonardo da Vinci airport on flights from London.

Brian Butcher, aged 55, and Clifford Chadwick, aged 52, were arrested on international warrants issued by United States customs authorities in Massachusetts and Arizona, the officials said. The suspects • were being held in a Rome jail. A formal extradition re-

quest from the united States was expected to arrive soon. Butcher and Chadwick were charged with fraud and illegal export of high technology that could be used for civilian and military purposes, the police officials said. The material was allegedly delivered to Rumania, Bulgaria and Poland. The officials said they could not divulge the exact type of material involved, but the Italian news agency, ANSA, described it as photocopies of, electronic equipment for \ submarines, planes and ' missiles. The officials said Chadwick was also under investigation in Italy on suspicion of involvement in procurement of arms for Libya and attacks against Libyan dissidents. Several opponents of the Libyan leader, Colonel Gadaffi, have been assassinated in Italy in recent years.