The alleged "Chilean connection" at South Africa's armament procurement agency, Armscor, is being investigated by the agency itself.

Armscor chief executive Sipho Thomo, who has been mum since word of the visit to the organisation's Erasmuskloof headquarters by members of the police's Specialised Crime Unit emerged about two weeks ago, has come out in support of the probe by a specialist unit of the SA Police Service.

"The Specialised Commercial Crime Unit has been given access to all documentation it may require at Armscor and has been invited to interview any employee in the course of its investigation," he said, adding Armscor was also conducting its own probe into the alleged unauthorised sale of military equipment to Chile.

Certain allegations are that the unauthorised sale involved missiles, while others have it that avionics components for supersonic jet fighters were involved. Police "temporarily" removed a number of personal computers and cellphones when they called on Armscor two weeks ago.

"In view of the fact that no concrete allegations or evidence were made or presented to Armscor, both management and employees encourage and support the investigation and are committed to assist wherever possible," Thomo said.

This apparent unauthorised sale of military equipment to the South American country is at least the second security breach in South Africa's defence industry within recent weeks.

Thieves apparently stole computer drives containing information of the South African designed and manufactured assault helicopter, the Rooivalk, from Denel Aviation in Kempton Park in April after entering the building via a tunnel beneath a high security wall. - Own Correspondent

With acknowledgement to The Mercury.