PrintNorth Korea, the IRA and counterfeiting
The United Strates government has officially accused North korea of manufacturing high quality $100 bills, and using the IRA to help distribute the bogus notes. The Washington Times reports:
"Quantities of the supernote were manufactured in, and under auspices of the government of, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea)," said the indictment of Irish national Sean Garland and six others. "Individuals, including North Korean nationals acting as ostensible government officials, engaged in the worldwide transportation, delivery, and sale of quantities of supernotes."
It was the first time the federal government provided details of North Korea's suspected counterfeiting of U.S. currency. The May 19 indictment was unsealed Saturday after Mr. Garland was arrested in Belfast.
A Justice Department spokesman said the State Department will file a formal extradition request for Mr. Garland in the next several days.
Mr. Garland, leader of the Marxist—Leninist Worker's Party, an arm of the Official Irish Republican Army, used his party contacts in North Korea and other nations to coordinate the purchase of fake $100 bills forged in North Korean, the indictment stated.
"This arrest is one of the most significant related to the 16—year—long investigation into the distribution of this family of highly deceptive counterfeit U.S. currency notes," said U.S. Secret Service Special Agent James B. Burch, head of the Washington field office.
Jack Kemp (not the politician) 10 12 05
