Friday, July 13, 2007

Venezuela May Shoot Down Unidentified Aircraft, Universal Says

(Bloomberg) -- Venezuelan lawmakers drafted a decree that would allow the country's armed forces to shoot down any unidentified airplanes entering the nation's airspace, El Universal reported, citing congressman Juan Mendoza, vice- president of a Ministry of Defense legislative committee Ministry of Defense.

The Airspace Control Law, part of a package of laws President Hugo Chavez may decree in the next 12 months, would also provide $220 million for 13 Italian- and Chinese-made radar systems to intercept unidentified planes, including those carrying illegal drugs through Venezuela, the newspaper said.

Five of the radar systems have already been installed and will form part of a single network to monitor Venezuelan air and sea territory as early as next year, the newspaper said.

The U.S., Colombia, Peru, and European Union already have laws that allow them to intercept unidentified planes, Mendoza said, according to El Universal.....

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