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load, assemble and pack. That was, sap, a final extension of the assembly line for ammunition. We received raw materials from abroad, we worked there, we made shipments and then either delivered to the Portuguese Armed Forces or were sold abroad ».

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Once arms and ammunition exports were confirmed, Alpoim Calvão was asked about the fate of export:

«I must tell you thai, as I recall, we exported to Syria, to Iraq, not directly but through a society that existed, which was COMETNA. We exported to Rhodesia, if I'm not mistaken, and we also exported to Iran ».

Regarding Cometna's role, the following was stated:

<COMETNA was a company ihat made metal casings for aviation bombs, They are had the contracts but asked us to do the final part, and we would deliver the metallic wrappers, we loaded and returned them 10 COMETNA, which exported. There was even the coincidence, at some point, that there are two companies in which the Portuguese State had interest: one exported to Iran and the other to Iraq».

After these introductory data, the Commander was asked about his role in raising foreign customers, namely following what had been stated in the Commission by Juzarte Rolo - that Alpoim Calvão was the person who brought the most business to the company: Alpoim Calvão confirmed this fundamental role for countries like Syria, Rhodesia and Iran, but

for Iraq:

«Regarding Iraq, no. As I say, Irag was more for COMETNA and SPEL, which was the Portuguese Explosives Society. For Iran it's true, I got some openings for that country, as, indeed, for Syria and Rhodesia ".

The Commander was then asked if he had ever sent weapons to Iran via Israel. The question and its sequence took the following form:

To the question " Have you ever sent weapons to Iran through Israel?" Commander Alpoim Calvão answered:

"No. Israel sent us through Iran.

(...)

What happened? Obviously, our armaments industry was very limited. Per Therefore, to buy metal, to buy ... We, for example, did not do 155 caliber artillery ammunition, we had to buy the metallic mes abroad. And wher he offered to sell merals, knowing perfectly well where he was going, it was Israel, that is, it was Israel's Military Indusiries, IMI».