lennart
02-12-03, 21:36
Mystery Death at the U.N.
Stewart Stogel
Tuesday Dec. 2, 2003
United Nations -- The death of a United Nations security officer at its New York City headquarters on Monday has raised serious questions.
A series of interviews conducted by NewsMax with several U.N. officers investigating the incident unveiled some new facts.
The body of Michael Halton, 41, a 16 year veteran of the U.N.'s Safety and Security Service was discovered shortly before noon on Monday.
The officer was overdue to return from a one-hour break which was scheduled from 10am-11am.
Several U.N. security officers fanned out throughout the 40-acre complex to search for the missing officer.
At approximately 11:45am, a room adjacent to the cavernous General Assembly, used for occasional meetings and parties was entered. The room was darkened with curtains drawn. When the room's lights were turned on, the dead officer's body was discovered in a corner at the far end of the room.
Surprisingly, the dead officer had some company.
Only a few feet away, was another U.N. security officer who had decided to take a brief nap, apparently not knowing the officer seated nearby was dead.
Officers on the scene were puzzled by what they saw next... The dead officer seemed to have committed suicide. Blood was spotted in the officer's right ear, leading investigators to believe the fatal shot was to his head.
However, those on the scene say the officer's head was in a raised, not slouched position, as one might expect in a suicide.
The officer's gun was also found wedged between his legs.
Nobody heard any shots fired.
Several U.N. officers. who had contact with the dead officer earlier that morning, say there were no signs that even remotely suggested he would take his life.
U.N. officials claim no note or any other communication was found at the location, which was labeled a "crime scene."
However, in the early afternoon, before news reports of the death were released, U.N. sources speak of a telephone call from the officer's mother to the security command center. It was explained that his mother did not know of the death and asked to leave a message. The message to her son was: "Everything at home is OK." The message was too late.
Halton's body was later turned over to the NYPD. U.N. security chief Michael McCann told reporters the NYPD and the FBI had been called in to assist in an investigation.
Veteran U.N. security officers tell NewsMax whether intentional or not, the death on Monday points out serious problems in the United Nations New York security operations.
Currently, U.N. security officers carry 9mm Glock handguns.
The Glocks do not carry safety locks. In fact, NewsMax is told the only device preventing an accidental discharge of the handgun is the holster it is carried in.
"If that gun is taken out of the holster, watch out" one U.N. security veteran explained. He added that he and several other officers "unofficially" break U.N. rules and do not carry their guns loaded.
Rules mandate that at least one bullet be present in the gun's chambers "at all times."
The U.N. source explained that the Glock issued to U.N. officers requires "little pressure" to cock the trigger and is too easy to discharge. As such, the source added that he opts to keep his ammunition "close by" but not in the gun.
The problem is further compounded by the U.N.'s decision to equip its officers with "hollow point" bullets. Such bullets, unlike conventional ones, fragment and spread on impact to cause maximum damage.
Several U.N. officers tell NewsMax the use of such bullets is "overkill" and unsuited for use in a heavily populated office building such as the high-rise Secretariat.
"It is stupid to carry these bullets. It shows that they (U.N. management) do not know what they are doing," explained another veteran United Nations officer.
Earlier this year, the U.N. spirited out of New York City a cache of highly controversial sub-machine guns known as MP-5's
The United Nations took the action when U.S. authorities threatened to confiscate the guns if they were found outside the NYC headquarters.
Where did the U.N. send the "hot" guns?
To its headquarters in Baghdad, which several weeks later was destroyed by an Iraqi truck bomber.
That bombing led U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan to commission a "review" of the world body's management of security operations, which had been described by an investigatory commission as "dysfunctional.
http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2003/12/2/95304.shtml
Stewart Stogel
Tuesday Dec. 2, 2003
United Nations -- The death of a United Nations security officer at its New York City headquarters on Monday has raised serious questions.
A series of interviews conducted by NewsMax with several U.N. officers investigating the incident unveiled some new facts.
The body of Michael Halton, 41, a 16 year veteran of the U.N.'s Safety and Security Service was discovered shortly before noon on Monday.
The officer was overdue to return from a one-hour break which was scheduled from 10am-11am.
Several U.N. security officers fanned out throughout the 40-acre complex to search for the missing officer.
At approximately 11:45am, a room adjacent to the cavernous General Assembly, used for occasional meetings and parties was entered. The room was darkened with curtains drawn. When the room's lights were turned on, the dead officer's body was discovered in a corner at the far end of the room.
Surprisingly, the dead officer had some company.
Only a few feet away, was another U.N. security officer who had decided to take a brief nap, apparently not knowing the officer seated nearby was dead.
Officers on the scene were puzzled by what they saw next... The dead officer seemed to have committed suicide. Blood was spotted in the officer's right ear, leading investigators to believe the fatal shot was to his head.
However, those on the scene say the officer's head was in a raised, not slouched position, as one might expect in a suicide.
The officer's gun was also found wedged between his legs.
Nobody heard any shots fired.
Several U.N. officers. who had contact with the dead officer earlier that morning, say there were no signs that even remotely suggested he would take his life.
U.N. officials claim no note or any other communication was found at the location, which was labeled a "crime scene."
However, in the early afternoon, before news reports of the death were released, U.N. sources speak of a telephone call from the officer's mother to the security command center. It was explained that his mother did not know of the death and asked to leave a message. The message to her son was: "Everything at home is OK." The message was too late.
Halton's body was later turned over to the NYPD. U.N. security chief Michael McCann told reporters the NYPD and the FBI had been called in to assist in an investigation.
Veteran U.N. security officers tell NewsMax whether intentional or not, the death on Monday points out serious problems in the United Nations New York security operations.
Currently, U.N. security officers carry 9mm Glock handguns.
The Glocks do not carry safety locks. In fact, NewsMax is told the only device preventing an accidental discharge of the handgun is the holster it is carried in.
"If that gun is taken out of the holster, watch out" one U.N. security veteran explained. He added that he and several other officers "unofficially" break U.N. rules and do not carry their guns loaded.
Rules mandate that at least one bullet be present in the gun's chambers "at all times."
The U.N. source explained that the Glock issued to U.N. officers requires "little pressure" to cock the trigger and is too easy to discharge. As such, the source added that he opts to keep his ammunition "close by" but not in the gun.
The problem is further compounded by the U.N.'s decision to equip its officers with "hollow point" bullets. Such bullets, unlike conventional ones, fragment and spread on impact to cause maximum damage.
Several U.N. officers tell NewsMax the use of such bullets is "overkill" and unsuited for use in a heavily populated office building such as the high-rise Secretariat.
"It is stupid to carry these bullets. It shows that they (U.N. management) do not know what they are doing," explained another veteran United Nations officer.
Earlier this year, the U.N. spirited out of New York City a cache of highly controversial sub-machine guns known as MP-5's
The United Nations took the action when U.S. authorities threatened to confiscate the guns if they were found outside the NYC headquarters.
Where did the U.N. send the "hot" guns?
To its headquarters in Baghdad, which several weeks later was destroyed by an Iraqi truck bomber.
That bombing led U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan to commission a "review" of the world body's management of security operations, which had been described by an investigatory commission as "dysfunctional.
http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2003/12/2/95304.shtml