the Falklands war, the government KILLING TRADE WITH CHILE THRIVES agreed to allow the supply of enriched uranium fuel rods to Chile for the Lo Aguirre reactor. BRITISH COMPANIES are continuing to sell arms 'State of siege' which could be used for The Centaur half-track vehicle, internal repression and which with official British nuclear equipment to Chile, permission is already in Chile on despite the introduction of a demonstration to the Chilean army, is a' lightly armoured gun carrier brutal 'State of siege' nearly six months ago by dictator described by its makers as suitable for a wide range of internal security General Augusto Pinochet. activity. In a brochure issued to a According to British Chilean delegation at a recent arms government documents, show, manufacturers Laird handed to the New Statesman (Anglesey) Ltd boasted that Centaur earlier this week by a had 'outstanding potential in both {\'iinistry of Defence source, fighting and support roles ... speeds two British companies are now actively trying to win up to 100 kph and a choice of weapons systems, bodies, equipment Chilean contracts, reports fits, cargo personnel... result in a DUNCAN CAMPBELL versatility unequalled by any other current vehicle design'. Laird ONE CONTRACT is for the (Anglesey) Ltd is a subsidiary of the refurbishment of a nuclear reactor, Laird Engineering group. A group and the other, quite separate contract spokesman refused to comment on is for the supply of up to 300 armed whether the proposed Centaur deal vehicles for the Chilean army. would now go ahead. The Department of Trade and Pinochet first declared the 'state of Industry, the documents show, official permission over six months to Britain on a government- siege', which allows him unlimited issued an export licence last year for a ago to tender for the Chilean nuclear sponsored 'trade promotion visit' in. powers of detention and control over demonstration model of the gun- reactor 'refurbishment' contract. September 1982. A few months later, public meetings or information, on 6 carrying half-track vehicle, called Fairey's attempts follow more Brady defined the purpose of the November 1984, and renewed it in Centaur, for Chile. The DTI ambitious efforts by the British Chilean nuclear programme to be to February this year. Since the admitted this week that this was nuclear construction industry - in 'achieve the technical capacity .... to declaration, there has been a marked issued in January 1984. particular the National Nuclear solve any problem related to nuclear increase in murders of trade The other contract being pursued Corporation - to sell Chile one or activity in the world'. And, although unionists, human rights activists and is for Fairey Engineering of more Magnox type nuclear reactors described as a civil reactor, the Lo others who in the last three years had Stockport, Cheshire to refurbish and (NS 18 February 1983). Aguirre complex is entirely under become increasingly vociferous in reconstruct an experimental nuclear The head of the Chilean nuclear military direction. In September thei~opposition to the regime. • reactor at Lo Aguirre, near Santiago. programme, Lieutenant General 1982, in return for secret Chilean The company's sales executive, Brian Herman Brady, came with his deputy military assistance to Britain during Research by Patrick Forbes Lenaghan, was pursuing this contract in Santiago on Monday this week. He . aknowledged he was involved in tjJ.e Be/grano's - and Argentine computers could usually achieve a financial negotiations with the Top secret Navy's - belligerent intent, there 'break' against Argentine naval codes Chilean regime. was complete evidence available to in a matter of hours. The DTI and the Ministry of Belgrano report the government, before the order was Members of the Foreign Affairs Defence generally refuse to answer given to sink it, that the Belgrano and Committee closely questioned press or even parliamentary for MPs? the rest of the Argentine fleet were Ministry of Defence officials about questions about such sales, aware that safely on a course for home. the missing. signal last month when dramatically increasing repression of BRITISH INTELLIGENCE News about the missing signal has they were shown the once top secret human rights in Chile is likely to services did not pass on to the been one of Whitehall's most closely report, known as the 'Crown Jewels', make arms or nuclear sales Ministry of Defence information guarded secrets. During 1983 prepared by former senior official controversial in Britain or Europe. about a vital signal recalling the intelligence officials feared - Clive Ponting. In the covering Th~ Centaur contract is only part Argentine cruiser, the General because of parliamentary questions minute attached to the now widely of a big recent effort by the Ministry Belgrano, shortly before it was asked by Tam Dalyell MP - that the circulated Crown Jewels - which the of Defence's arms sales subsidiary, sunk, members of the House of news had got out. A special report MPs as well as trial lawyers and the the Defence Sales Organisation Commons Foreign Affairs about the signal was then prepared by jury have seen - Ponting wrote that (DSO), to sell arms to Chile. Committee have discovered. Sir Brian Tovey for the personal 'an unsuccessful search had been According to a recent classified But they have not yet been told attention of Cabinet Secretary Sir conducted in the MoD to see if the summary ofDSO's efforts, which we about the top secret report on the Robert Armstrong. missing signal had in fact been have obtained, the MOD in concert mystery signal by Sir Brian Tovey, Not even Defence Secretary located, and if Britain had had with UK manufacturers has in the Director of GCHQ Cheltenham _: Michael Heseltine has been shown information about the recall signal to last years got the Chilean military to Britain's codebreaking headquarters. the Tovey report, despite the enquiry the Belgrano, This i~formation about express interest in Rapier, Swingfire, The Tovey report reveals whether or he mounted last year in to the the Crown Jewels was leaked last Sea Wolf, Blowpipe and Seacat not analysts succeeded in breaking circumstances of the Belgrano week to a literary magazine, Granta, missiles; Harrier, Jaguar and Hawk the code of this vital message and sinking. During the Falklands war, which also published a number of aircraft; Lynx helicopters; the reported its contents to Whitehall. he was not a member of the 'war hitherto secret details from Pouting's Centaur armed vehicles; and one The missing signal may be the most cabinet' and may have been held not report. But the truth of Ponting's frigate, and five other Royal Navy critical document of the entire to have the 'need to' know'. The report must depend on whether or ships, most of which are not in fact for Falklands war. Copies may exist in official version given by GCHQ to not he, like Michael Heseltine, was sale. But most of these projects have the few departments authorised to see Heseltine states that the recall signal told the truth about the missing signal foundered because of the recent rapid Cheltenham's output of 'sigint' from Argentine naval headquarters to in the first place. ~ deterioration of the already battered (signals intelligence). MPs would the Belgrano has never been decoded, Chilean economy. then find that, contrary to the even to this day. This would be Duncan Campbell with Fairey Engineering was given government's repeated allegations of unusual, since GCHQ's huge Patrick Forbes.