Tom Ridge, the former leader of U.S. Homeland Security, is on the board of directors of a company that is controlled by Li Kashing of Operation Sidewinder notoriety, Canada Free Press has learned.
Prominent among the Chinese companies tracked by Project Sidewinder, co-launched by the Canadian RCMP and CSIS, was Hutchison Whampoa Limited (HWL), the world's leading port investor, developer and operator with interests in 19 countries throughout asia, the Middle East, africa, Europe and the americas, HWL wholly owns Hutchison Port Holdings (HPH) which merged with Savi Technology Inc., a company that includes Ridge as a director.
“Sidewinder found that a “triumvirate” of Chinese entrepreneurs, criminal triads and Beijing, guided by the Chinese Intelligence Service, was bent on buying up Canadian businesses, investing in our economy, and influencing politicians and political parties, all while setting up front organizations, criminal activities and intimidation, as well as intelligence gathering.” (Peter Worthington, Toronto Sun, June 2005).
“Savi Technology Inc., a leading provider of active Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) supply chain solutions and Hutchison Port Holdings (HPH), a leading port developer and operator, today jointly announced the formation of a new company to build and operate an active RFID-based information network to track and manage containerized ocean cargo.” (PR Newswire on behalf of Savi Technology Inc. and Hutchison Port Holdings (HPH), april 21, 2005).
“The company, called Savi Networks LLC, will build the network by installing active RFID equipment and software in participating ports around the world to provide users with information on the identity, location and status of their ocean cargo containers as they pass through such ports. Shippers, logistics service providers and transportation companies will be able to connect to the network by installing compatible equipment at their own locations to further improve the efficiency, effectiveness and security of global supply chains.”
“The new company will be initially capitalized with an investment of US$50-million from the joint-venture partners. Savi Technology will hold a 51 percent interest in Savi Networks, and HPH will hold the remaining 49 percent interest. Savi will take the lead in operating the joint venture and contribute a license to the software to operate the network, and HPH will provide access to its port facilities.
“Savi networks will seek to establish relationships with additional port partners to further extend the network, as well as with providers of complementary technologies and services to the global supply chain.
“Savi is excited about entering into this agreement with HPH, which as one of the world's largest port operators has the knowledge, experience and vision to understand thee needs of the global shipping community,” said Vic Verma, Savi's President and Chief Executive Officer.”
“Global concerns about supply chain efficiency, effectiveness and security continue to grow, and must be addressed with new and better ways to manage cargo,” said John Meredith, HPH Group Managing Director. “We look forward to working with Savi and other global port operators, carriers and service providers to build this new network.”
“It is expected that Savi Netwworks will function much like a telecommunications network service provider. Savi Networks will own and operate the network's core infrastructure and will provide information services, to be called SaviTrak ™, on a per-container trip basis. The new company expects to offer customers a family of active RFID tags, including data rich, visibility and sensor tabs, based on ISO 18000-7 standards. These tags would be affixed to containers, transforming them into “smart containers” able to communicate with the network, which will enable users to receive information on location, security and environmental conditions, such as temperature, humidity and light, as well as the container's contents.
“Concurrent with the formation of Savi Networks, HPH also has made a US$50-million investment in privately held Infolink Systems Inc., the parent of Savi Technology, which will provide HPH with slightly less than 10 percent of Infolink on a fully diluted basis.”
Last month an exercise was conducted by Northern Command in Charleston, South Carolina that had a simulated nuke being unloaded by terrorists from a freighter.
Peculiar time for a former “leader of Homeland Security to be involved in a company that leans heavily on a Chinese partner, particularly when it's at a time when China and Russia are staging joint anti-american war games and a Chinese general is saying that China must prepare for atomic war with the U.S.a.
Canada Free Press founding editor Most recent by Judi McLeod is an award-winning journalist with 30 years experience in the print media. Her work has appeared on Newsmax.com, Drudge Report, Foxnews.com, Glenn Beck. Judi can be reached at: judi@canadafreepress.com
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