An Israel Defense Force reserve officer who allegedly trained assassins for a Colombian drug cartel was given a one-year suspended sentence Friday and ordered to pay $75,000 in fines by a Jerusalem magistrate.
Lt. Col. Yair Klein, who owns Hod Hahanit (Spearhead), a security-consulting company, pleaded guilty to the illegal export of military equipment and know-how.
But he plans to appeal the sentence, saying he prefers jail to taking out loans he would need to pay the $40,000 personal fine and the $35,000 fine levied against his company.
Klein pleaded guilty to negotiating and exporting military expertise, skills and weapons to foreign nationals without a license, although he claims no license was needed for what he did.
He identified his clients as the Cattle-Raisers Association in Colombia and said he provided weapons and training for their defense against cattle rustlers and guerrillas.
The Colombian government complained that Klein trained and armed drug hit-men.
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