Transcripts For DW Lethal Exports 20240712

Was told wanted to be a teacher. He was studying at the i. O. C. Not a Teacher Training College in the mexican state of ghetto. But one bullet changed everything. This footage shows the fateful moment. Ill go and around 50 other students had commandeered public buses to get back to the college after a demonstration such actions arent unusual in parts of mexico. Suddenly Police Stopped the bus and then opened fire on the arm students hit by a bullet fell to the ground. 6 students were shot dead 2 more were seriously wounded. 43 students all the aged between 18 and 23 were abducted theyve never been seen since just like thousands of others in mexico. A number of Police Officers were subsequently arrested accused of carrying out the murders a number of the weapons used in those crimes were German Military grade 36 Assault Rifles made by heckler and koch. But the German Government hadnt approved their export to this region so how did they get there. A court in the city of trick got took up the case the almost year long trial was germanys most detailed investigation of an arms deal to date. The verdict surprised many. The case was initially brought so you can question a prominent opponent of germanys arms industry the managers and walked away free thats the big scandals in proof of it too close judicial system so where the managers of heckler and koch not responsible for the illegal weapons deal in the up. And you know the court. After that so you have the conviction in this chamber that there was insufficient evidence to suggest the other defendants took part in the crimes i. Think that. Were. So what actually happened it all began in 2005 german arms manufacturer heckler and koch wanted to export thousands of g 36. 00 Assault Rifles to mexico along with submachine guns so the company submitted an application to the German Economics Ministry in berlin but the Foreign Ministry expressed concern citing Human Rights Violations by Mexican Security forces including abductions and murder and get away at all and other states. Took a nomics ministry sought a compromise. Meanwhile heckler and koch was waiting impatiently for permission to export as the companys then Sales Representative from mexico explains. We can only identify him as marcus b. And then come to be deformed fairly calm over with and asked by sounds whether we could change the designated and to use a difficult because some ministry had requested that certain aspects shouldnt be mentioned and. Techno and call had originally presented this and you certificate from the Mexican Defense ministry to the German Economics Ministry. The details of the certificate showed clearly that the weapons were partly intended for mexican states considered particularly dangerous. Obviously you made your sleep playful and so i wrote an email to my wife from the computer i. Added. To ask the head of decamping the official body responsible for arms sales in mexico whether it was possible not to name these 3 states and to issue a new and use so once the Economics Ministry had informed heckler and koch which mexican states would not be approved the company submitted a new end you certificate where the critical states were no longer mentioned but the strange thing was the exact same number of guns would still be supplied to mexico which surely should have been noticed. But approval for the export was given and the deal began. Over the following years a team from heckler and koch travelled all over mexico showing Police Officers in the army how to use the firearms. Here they arent colima but they also went to the states that were supposedly banned including get a table for the weapons would soon be used. On 19 year old solano for example. This was him dancing at his brothers wedding just days before Security Forces would destroy his life forever. It was a clever child really prize he was always keen to see everything and to learn thats why he went to college now all that school. Details of that night haunt the family. While those brother lay on their tells us what happened. In the middle but wolf. I knew there were a number of passes and i was in the 1st one was when the attack started they were already heading back to the college with us the police started pursuing them then a Police Vehicle not long after the junction and to stop them leaving the city in the so the students got out of the bus ill know it was one of the 1st to get out he wanted to talk to the police who were blocking the road in a hope that they could proceed in at the police immediately started shooting but i have. The other students got off the buses and started filming with their cell phones when aldo was hit by a bullet the other screamed for help. They called an ambulance for their friend while running for cover themselves more shots fell. That same night all those family rushed to the hospital in one day you know i saw him and he had a bullet wound to his head the bullet went in here and came out here. Drug cartels kill thousands in mexico every year but the Security Forces are also responsible for many deaths. One of the heckler and koch instructors started to have doubts. In 2010 he testified to state prosecutors against his former employer heckler and koch. He was a damning indictment of colleagues and managers. That led to 2 police raids on the Company Premises and a mammoth investigation. Or and these is it took an 8 long years from the start of the investigation to the trial my opening in my 2080 so i think the world. In 2018 the largest trial of its kind in german postwar history finally got underway. Trial observers took detailed minutes. On fun and was one of them. He was previously a weapons inspector for the United Nations and a member of the German Parliament i remember 3 things from the 1st day firstly the charges were read out which included conspiring to commit crimes the 2nd was that the 2 main suspects were not in the room when one has to install it on the other was heckler cox mexico representative who lives in mexico and was allegedly not well enough to travel. So his trial was separated off. With. The defendants included x e o peter by a lawyer and another former heckler and koch c. E. O. To pass employees from the marketing division. Of the company had grown call itself as a codefendant and a secretary from the export department but the 3rd thing i remember was the initial statements given by the accused where it was totally clear they had no sense of guilt and they think they were really serious about that. The argument was they had received approval for exports to mexico and it was so they export it to mexico because they couldnt work out why they were in court that. In the end you certificate is the centerpiece of germanys arms control mechanism in this document the buyer declares where the weapons will be delivered and where they will be used ruling out that they will end up anywhere else several different ministries examine the application under the direction of the Economics Ministry. The governments export control office then takes care of the licensing procedure. Noida bought off was president obama for 10 years. Hes well acquainted with the procedures and knows those who worked in the Economics Ministry during the period in question. If they dont call for 5 they said that id go to the get the in the head to let him call case macaulay get involved at the Economics Ministry was not someone who exercised any particularly critical judgment in that regard and. Shall we say to the point that. That official who was in a senior position in the Economics Ministry was one of the 1st witnesses to be called his testimony got off to an uncomfortable start. Thats why youre looking for art form for late news was asked by the presiding judge to disclose what the mexico deal was on about he answered one moment and put a huge briefcase on the table guns he pulled out an entire file therefore there was mandated the judge asked him what he was doing he said i need to find on the investigation to get the indictment there and start and watch out theyre going to you can see the faces of the state prosecutors turning red because thats not a lot of it is and as i said a witness in a German Criminal Court case of hes holding the indictment in his hands the until are usually in. But that wasnt the end of it during questioning the witness revealed that the other ministries also had access to the confidential files. But where they came from that bit he couldnt remember is that the law he actually stated in court were called the ministry for the economy we have a special interest in ensuring that these manufacturers can survive economically thats from the man responsible for regulating arms exports for. For decades heckler and koch has been a key supplier to the German Armed Forces and the police its considered to have systemic relevance. So does the Economics Ministry give special treatment to a company like that. We decided to ask a former economics minister is it my godley are. Also going to give vishal began his statement by saying we are the ministry for the economy so the Ministry Wants this key manufacturer to survive it. You know the answer through the export guidelines state that when it comes to arms exports are economic considerations and jobs are not to play our own to go to work for a legal position and have the court is familiar with the ex mordechai clients. Back to the courtroom under further questioning by the presiding judge the official from the economics minister stated from the witness stand that human rights were more a work of endeavor. Thats the main face of the people charged with safeguarding our highest values namely human rights in all constitutions in our constitution and they see it merely as a work of endeavor so if it happens to suit then well include that in it but otherwise were not interested in includes the absence of the. Human rights as a work of endeavor. Thats not with the approval guidelines set up by the government state. Police and they are included with the sentence but this question the human rights situation in the recipient country plays a prominent role of the elite also coming from a legal background its clear that its an absolute test criterion and a deal breaking criteria. And indeed the official from the Economics Ministry admitted himself while testifying to the Customs Investigation Bureau that he realized the firearms had only been excluded from parts of mexico on paper. But the Economics Ministry denies any wrongdoing. The ministrys main contact at heckling cost was picked up by a lawyer he was in the docket to guard but he was acquitted. Well a day to move the trial peter buyer list stated that these and you certificates are and i quote the wrong instruments owned ineffective. This supposedly wrong instrument has for decades been the basis for all of germanys arms exports. Peter by other had been the head judge of the District Court before moving to heckler and koch initially he was the companys Liaison Officer for the authorities and then later c. E. O. Throughout he was responsible for export applications and end use agreements. The export control Office Buffet also understands that the end user agreement is a binding document not well done wait for shooting to our understanding of the law and use it difficult is it an integrity part of the licensing. Yet better in legal expert peter by enough argued in court that and you certificates are not decisive for arms exports and he claimed to know nothing of the real work certificate from mexico but his correspondence with the chummy official at the Economics Ministry tells a different story. As i was the mayor of this email before its completely clear here the Economics Ministry is telling heckler and koch you cant export to these mexican states but these other ones are ok and yet in the trial all those involved maintained repeatedly that there had never been a list of positive and negative states its absurd that this is only turned up now. But thats not all. When the approval of arms exports to mexico did not appear forthcoming by a lot emailed colleagues suggesting they pursued what he called the political route. The company made donations to the constituency offices of influential politicians. We tried to speak to peter by a lawyer to with the emerge from the court one day. And his lawyer did read in fact blocked our camera man pulling up the sound cable. Peter biola began brandishing his briefcase and his lawyer continued to attempt to obstruct us. Mr dialo what do you know about the Party Donations about heckling cough. They were clearly not willing to talk about donations to politicians. In mexico meanwhile the families of the 43 missing students are still searching for the bodies of their loved ones. More than 60000 people are classified as missing in mexico presumed dead. And the appearance of the stones helped us to locate graves. You can see these stones were previously underground. So we know the ground has been dug over here you see the difference in the color the stone was on the surface the other one it was pretty deep or. The remains of clothing are scattered across the site a putrid smell hangs in the air. Well i still hope that my son will walk through the door one day. The pain is unbearable we will move it just hurts so much. What could im not giving up not until i found my son you are then every time i come up to these hills even though im sick i still forget my illness because i want to find out something about my son. Mexico has never forgotten the missing student teachers. For more than 5 years thousands of people have been taking to the streets every month to demand answers. They include families and friends of the 43. 00 students who disappeared. Human rights lawyer sophia there will be no represents the families im an attorney of the middle class and for a lot of Human Rights Center and her India Company in the eye is not a case for 4 years we represent relatives of the 43 students who disappeared on the 26th of september 2040 as well as the students who were executed and also those who were injured that night. Ted a solana is one of my clients i will be honest im not. Even travelling in the crisis 20 state of get red always dangerous the lawyer takes us to all those family. Civilian militia groups have taken control of the roads and levy socalled customs duties. Were at the mercy of the local commanders. That. When they spot our camera things get a bit edgy. They are. Get always been scarred by the drug war by violence and corruption. The good to get this family is taken care of although in this house built with donations. And game of which we have suffered a lot as a family because we have to struggle with everything. The ultimate only wish for nothing more than to see this it all of a little lively guy again who have lost and went on but obviously lacking. The family still clings to the hope that all the will get well again even if this is medically impossible. Which are you telling this to us. He listens closely. Sometimes he opens his eyes were talk to him and then he closes loudly that away we take care of for you. All that every day we come here and we take care of him. On day and all night we take care of him and yes he can hear and he responds to. Does he respond to you yes generally just yesterday he moved his finger there though he was a lawyer he still moves. The hopes of a mother. The hopes of a family. And a vocal we are hearing that i am of which we miss him very much. The whole family loves him so much. Is that the man is all those thats why its so hard for us to see the change that hes undergone the way. I wont abandon your own people and be with you no matter what us is us. Its. Meanwhile the trial in stuttgart was continuing evidence was presented and the court called dozens of witnesses. Then on the 20th day something completely unexpected happened and suddenly the number was clear 15000 emails had slipped through that created a bit of a shock up there in the bench they realized they suddenly had a lot of documents here that hadnt been included in the proceedings at all. An investigation was launched into the missing emails where were they then the name of an Auditing Company came up k p m g. Then it turns out the Customs Criminal Investigation Office leading the investigation had received the emails of the documents from k. P. And she did already been filtered and sorted. Heckler and koch called in k p m g shortly after police searched ted courters. Part of their task was to evaluate the steps Electronic Communications marcos being with the company Sales Representative in mexico. And karr had asked kay p. M. G. To carry out an internal voluntary investigation to you and comprehensible why its enough for the prosecutor to investigate the police and so on. K p m g as one of the worlds 4 largest auditing companies. The internal investigation was supposed to support the Customs Criminal Investigation Office and rutenberg state criminal Police Office and the Public Prosecutors Office. Still represents marquess b. And is critical of the fact that the state investigators have agreed to cooperate with the private auditors. This is still i long the one hand it is not justifiable and in my view not acceptable that the Public Prosecutors Office should agree that heckler and koch of all companies which is the target of the accusations should be given the opportunity to become involved in the investigations by commissioning an internal expert report that it named k. P. M. G. A lot of money to produce. Why did the authorities agree to cooperate with k p m g in the 1st place how close was their cooperation. With the k p m g report confirms the cooperation with the Police Customs avesta gaiters and the prosecutors office. The customs investigators say they exchanged information with k. P. M. G. For 3 years. And. This is the reason i believe that we also have these socalled poems in the dark we do not have the people actually responsible for the whole story for initiating it and i dont like those people are probably more likely to be found in departments of the federal ministry of economics the people at the top of acland call perhaps of the federal ministry. The k p m g investigation said there were significant irregularities in the stories of a secretary a marketing employee and the representative in mexico and said they were primarily responsible for the crooked arms deals they are. What the auditors also overlooked with the purchase contracts with mexico on which the deals have been based. Heckler and koch and the Mexican Ministry of Defense Exchange dozens of purchase contracts. We have these original contracts. They explain. List the destinations of the weapons. Including the banned mexican states such as get a little. Unlike the end you certificate the Company Provided the government. The court in strict guard has refused to comment on the proceedings of the ruling. An answer to a written request the chicago Public Prosecutors Office said the cooperation with k p m g had been helpful. But it also points out the k. P. N. G. s findings had also been compared with the information gathered by the office and critically assessed. K p m g had also been advising the Defense Ministry which was looking for a successor model to the German Armed Forces standard Assault Rifle heckler and koch was the favorite to win the tender. We vest k p m g but the company has refused to make any comment. In september 2018 accompanied by his lawyers aguas brother leo and travel to stuttgart for the trial. The court had already rejected the familys request to appear as joint plaintiff in the criminal proceedings. In the courts opinion the allegedly legal deliveries did not contribute to the concrete acts of injury in question. In the courtroom they are now took 2 photos of his brother out of his backpack because as he later said aldo could not attend the trial himself. And the court reacted swiftly. 9 Court Officers arrived at the guest from mexico until he gave them the pictures of his brother. You know it was all about equipment up there it was all about files and stuff no one ever talked about the victims and i think its important in this whole discussion about arms exports not only in the trial to meet. Clear from time to time and this is about if this is about blood this is about war and not just about sewing machines and refrigerators and that is why this is a very very special moment for me only when you live in a left the courthouse to get the pictures of his brother back. It was the end of leos visit to germany. In february 2019 the court gave its verdict. The secretary received a 17 month suspended sentence and had to perform 250 hours of community service. A former marketing employee was sentenced to 22 months on probation and had to pay an 80000. 00 euro find a social organizations. Heckler and koch was fined 3700000 euros approximately the Contract Value of the illegally exported weapons. The other defendants including the 2 former c. E. O. s were acquitted. Both heckler and koch and peta biota have refused to give any interviews but deny any wrongdoing. The Public Prosecutors Office decided not to appeal against the acquittal of byelaw and the other ex c. E. O. While appealing the other rulings we are convinced said the presiding judge in its oral verdict that neither and any new certificate as such nor the actual end use can be made a part of the permit in terms of Administrative Law but the former head of buffa the governments export control office doesnt agree. They should administratively lot is quite clear that i om part of it. If i may put it cautiously criminal lawyers who do not deal with these things so often may see things differently. And that was probably sent in the stuttgart ruling and shed been fired. 2 months after the stuttgart ruling a court in kio came to a different conclusion than the court in southern germany at the trial of the german arms manufacturers exult for illegal arms exports and you certificates were judged to be part of the export licenses. Zigzag had sold 37000 pistols to colombia although the end you certificate said they were destined for the usa x. Managers of zigzag germany and the c. E. O. Of its us affiliate were given fines and suspended sentences. This case is also under appeal. Now germanys Supreme Court must decide whether to deal with the 2 rulings or not. Filming in mexico city in june 29th team to make a surprising discovery. The soldiers who raised the National Flag in front of the president ial palace every day carry weapons from all over the world including many from heckler and koch. But a cameraman notices that the soldiers are also carrying weapons from another German Company as example. Zigzag is the countrys 2nd largest manufacturer of small arms and is based not far from kiel in northern germany. Its product range includes pistols submachine guns and Assault Rifles. Made in germany says the companys website probably. Was exactly licensed to export arms to mexico. We asked the government which that no. So how did zigzag was weapons end up in mexico. The Mexican Defense ministry confirmed that zigzag usa sells pistols submachine guns and Assault Rifles to mexico with the permission of the u. S. Government. The court in kiel has already found the c. E. O. It zigs our usa incorporated guilty of making illegal arms deliveries to colombia via the us. The affiliate is 100 percent owned by its german Parent Company nuka and what my holding. Under american law is exhaust usa can sell weapons manufactured in the us abroad. But can weapons made in germany be exported to mexico via the us affiliate is this permitted. 20 tons of of what and they are intended to be delivered elsewhere the german manufactures would have to say and the reputation that the final destination is not the recipient country that really it is based but somewhere else it. Is. Nevertheless there are as example weapons in mexico. In the whole summit all that it must have been by different route one with the time it at any rate. This internet video of a mexican Police Officer shows as exhaust p 229 pistol. The policeman says its odd that his gun has to engravings on it. For a made in germany. And exeter New Hampshire. But how did this gun get into mexico. Human rights activist john lindsay poland investigates arms exports from the usa to latin america and has published numerous studies on the subject. The dated that shows that germany exported firearms and firearm parts during this period to New Hampshire and then New Hampshire exported firearms and firearms ports to mexico. Zigzag i havent disclosed how many weapons they deliver and to where. But figures from the Us Department of commerce show how many weapons have been delivered from germany to New Hampshire and from New Hampshire to mexico since 2000. A document issued by the Us Department of state makes clear the extent to which the exultant usa supplies mexico with weapons. On that list was a license for 6 hours to export up to 266000000. 00 worth of firearms to mexico. After 2024 which is an enormous amount of weaponry its unprecedented for mexico and for the United States in terms of any exports to mexico. The Mexican Defense ministry has confirmed the weapons supplied by exalting usa are distributed almost right across the country including those states that the German Government classifies as having a particularly critical human rights situation. Mexico distributed these weapons to states where police are of heavy collusion with organized crime and committing Human Rights Violations raises many questions about the legality not to mention the the morality of 6 hours role in the violence in mexico both through the United States and from its german parent. Basically zigs always should. Not have been allowed to supply mexico from germany at all. So its all the more surprising that zigzag would usas turnover suddenly went through the roof shortly after arrival heckler and koch was banned from selling weapons to mexico because of the investigations back home. The Mexican Ministry of defense records for aluminum. So is examiner circumventing germanys arms export laws with the help of its u. S. Affiliates and procedural terms at least there would seem to be a certain similarity to the case relating to illegal exports to colombia. Zigs hour has not responded to our repeated requests for comment. The former heckler and koch weapons demonstrator also provided the tipoff for this trial. In the meantime hed moved to competitors example. The colombian government has confirmed the receipt of around 120000 zigzag pistols 3 times more than the number cited in the queue hearing. This was not approved by the German Government. It has not approved any permits for small arms exports to colombia since the year 2000. So how do the 72000. 00 weapons that the keel court knew nothing about end up in colombia. To find out we decided to go to bogota the capital of a country blighted by decades of civil war. And the peace here is deceptive. The city has seen months of mass protests and frequent riots the army and above all the police cns youre not i have been accused of serious Human Rights Violations. We saw a policeman carrying 6 hour pistols everywhere in fact none of the officers we met on this trip carried anything else. We visited the museum of the policy and thus are not an Organization Still feared today for its involvement in Human Rights Violations. The guard at the entrance was also armed with his exultant pistol. The policeman showed us as example of s. P. 2022 in the weapons display. Its always exhaust is the standard weapon of the Colombian Police and seen as always trying to we all have them theyre the best. Then he asked a colleague for a Service Weapon and showed us the engraving on the s b 2022 frame made in germany in georgia again its this weapon should not be in colombia we also noticed that serial number is missing. This is a socalled ghost gun and they shouldnt exist at all. Next stop. For many years the murder capital of the world. Hours drive outside of midair jeanne we visited a retreat for the rich and powerful the ruins of Pablo Escobar house or a minder of the cocaine trade that is still flourishing today. In fact some say it still remains the backbone of the column the economy. Pretending to be German Tourists we got chatting with Police Officers. We asked one of them to pose for a selfie. Then he showed us his gun and its anothers exult s p 2022 and this time we could clearly see a serial number the german eagle and an official proof mark from the responsible office in kiel. Its very good to. Have a death knell for example here on the gun you can see exeter New Hampshire. But here there are proof marks from. The federal eagle with a n. On it and. Some of the original stamps indicate that the thing is from germany. Is this pistol even allowed to be in colombia range of the if the hardware comes from germany as your pictures imply that hes clearly in violation of. The serial number of this weapon is not listed in the kill court papers does that mean that the true extent of zigzag always illegal operations is much greater than previously realized. Documents from the Us Department of commerce prove us a continued to deliver weapons to colombia even though it was exalted germany and the managing directors of its us affiliate have been under investigation for illegal arms exports to the country sense 2014 some 10000 pistols were still delivered to colombia even after the april 2900. As and he does he see if they know it and can prove it then i think that is a reason to pass it on to the legal authorities. At mexico new documents from the Us State Department prove that is exactly usa not only delivers finished weapons to mexico the us permit also includes a license to manufacture various example models in mexico including these ones some of which were originally developed and produced in germany. Is that all how did. The German Government has confirmed that zoe germany has been granted a total of 26. 00 permits for the transfer of technology to zigzag usa since 2000. But german law requires a further license before the technology can be transferred on to mexico. Then when a production license is approved its approved for one location in this case the us where the production actually takes place and not frank sport would have to approve any further exports again if. The government has confirmed that no such authorization exists. For the i hope the people behind such things are held accountable to any rate would be the job of the relevant authorities who as i have said will once more have to consider whether to refer it to Law Enforcement of origins. Is the zigs our arms Manufacturing Group circumventing german export regulations by relocating its business to the usa and getting away with it scot free. If it is all illegal arms deals will probably soon be carried out this way. It certainly seems to be working for his example which has now become the largest exporter of small arms in the United States. A cycle called good to europe or america should. Go fast industry goes slow cool. Unisom for a trendsetter at 98. 00. The Roaring Twenties of reloading. Is fashion 2020 style art 21. In 30 minutes on d w. O or. Beethoven in the janis did you did dont want to do. That is it is about a 64. 00 no lie cheat true candle fraud my. Only regret is the stolen beethoven. It was course the subconscious always one thing is clear. And beethoven is wildly popular. I see a sure. But the worst sound the biggest composer of all time i cant even begin to imagine a world class one player senlis on a musical journey of discovery. World without a. Star september 16th on g. W. Bad. Play. Oh. This is news live from birth led to rival rallies in the bellerose capital up 2100000 opposition supporters gather for the biggest protest in recent history calling for president hes pushing to go to the wall the authoritarian leader urges regime loyalists to disband the country and its independence and russia off 1st military help. Also coming up a deadly gun and bomb attack on the move would be shown photo leads to teach dad is racist do fears about the strength of his