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mburbank mburbank is offline
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Old Apr 23rd, 2003, 02:57 PM        Thank God War is Funny
By CURT ANDERSON, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - A television news engineer faces smuggling charges after attempting to bring into the United States 12 stolen Iraqi paintings, monetary bonds and other items, federal officials said Wednesday.


A criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Alexandria, Va., charges that Benjamin James Johnson, 27, tried to bring the paintings into this country last Thursday. They were contained in a large cardboard box that was examined by Customs agents at Dulles International Airport outside Washington.

An affidavit filed with the criminal complaint says that Johnson, who accompanied U.S. troops in Baghdad, gathered up the paintings at a palace that belonged to Uday Hussein, one of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein (news - web sites)'s sons. The paintings depict Saddam and Uday.

Johnson, who initially told Customs officials he was given the paintings by Iraqi citizens, said he had planned to keep them "for decoration" and to provide one to his employer, the affidavit says. It is U.S. policy that all such items belong to the Iraqi people.

Johnson worked for six years as a satellite truck engineer for Fox News Channel, which fired him after learning he had admitted to taking the paintings, a network statement said.

"This is an unfortunate incident and his supervisor took the appropriate action for this transgression," the statement added.

The case was one of several to be detailed later Wednesday by Customs officials, who have seized other Iraqi artworks, weapons and other materials people have tried to smuggle into this country.

Museums, businesses, government offices and homes were widely looted in Baghdad after the fall of Saddam's regime. Among the items stolen were thousands of artworks and other antiquities, some thousands of years old, from Iraq (news - web sites)'s vast collections of items from Assyrian, Mesopotamian, Sumerian and other cultures.

An examination of Johnson's luggage also turned up 40 Iraqi Monetary Bonds and a visitor's badge from the U.S. embassy in Kuwait. Johnson, who lives in Alexandria, Va., has not been arrested but is to appear before a federal magistrate next Tuesday.
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Bennett Bennett is offline
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Old Apr 23rd, 2003, 03:02 PM       
If he would've just stuck to taking a few barrels of crude oil, he would've been fine.
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VinceZeb VinceZeb is offline
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Old Apr 23rd, 2003, 03:06 PM       
Oh Bennett, he is so funny! I'm sure his poli-sci professors are just screaming at that great joke!

Putz.
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mburbank mburbank is offline
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Old Apr 23rd, 2003, 03:11 PM       
Your come back was ultra funny, especially where you said 'putz'. That reminded me of Noel Coward.
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Bennett Bennett is offline
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Old Apr 23rd, 2003, 04:36 PM       
Hey, if you want comedy, just imagine yourself making out with a "really hot ethnic chick"... or go read the infamous submarine letter. I'm just making social commentary here.
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mburbank mburbank is offline
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Old Apr 23rd, 2003, 04:37 PM       
Simple as that. Bar none.
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El Blanco El Blanco is offline
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Old Apr 23rd, 2003, 07:28 PM       
I got a chuckle out of it. Especially when I imagined him smuggling the barrels out. And a little cringe.
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kellychaos kellychaos is offline
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Old Apr 24th, 2003, 10:32 AM       
Is that an oil barrel in your pants or you just glad to see me?!

Thanks folks! I'll be here all week. Try the veal and don't forget to tip the wait staff ... NYUK! NYUK! NYUK!
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