Editing EATSCO (section)

==CIA Connections==
EATSCO’s ties to the CIA were rooted in its leadership and operations:

	•	Key Figures:
	◦	[[Thomas G. Clines]]: A former CIA official under [[Ted Shackley]], Clines was a co-founder and key figure in EATSCO’s operations. He later played a central role in the Iran-Contra affair alongside Richard Secord.
	◦	Hussein K. Salem: A former Egyptian military intelligence officer, Salem had close ties to Egyptian officials like Kamal Hassan Ali. U.S. intelligence sources confirmed his intelligence background, though he denied it.
	◦	[[Ted Shackley]]: A senior CIA officer and associate of Clines, Shackley was linked to EATSCO through his network of former CIA operatives. His role in Le Cercle and oversight of Air America in Laos suggest he influenced EATSCO’s covert activities, though direct ownership is unconfirmed.
	◦	[[Edwin P. Wilson]]: A former CIA officer, Wilson provided funding for EATSCO and was investigated for his ties to the company. His involvement in Nugan Hand Bank and Libyan arms deals linked him to similar CIA networks.

	•	Connection to Nugan Hand Bank:
	◦	EATSCO’s operations overlapped with [[Nugan Hand Bank]], a CIA-linked Australian bank co-founded by Michael Jon Hand. Wilson’s 1974 arms deal through Nugan Hand, shipping 10 million rounds of ammunition and 3,000 weapons to southern Africa, paralleled EATSCO’s arms logistics. Both entities served as financial and logistical conduits for CIA operations, with Hand’s CIA background and Wilson’s ties to both suggesting a shared network.
	◦	[[Michael Jon Hand]]: As a former CIA contractor in Laos, Hand’s experience with Air America and connections to Shackley mirrored EATSCO’s leadership profile. While no direct evidence ties Hand to EATSCO, his role in Nugan Hand’s arms deals and CIA operations suggests a parallel structure. Hand’s disappearance in 1980 coincided with EATSCO’s scrutiny, limiting further connections.

	•	Broader CIA Network: EATSCO’s leadership, including [[Ray Cline]], Secord, and Shackley, were active in the Iran-Contra affair, indicating a continuity of CIA covert operations. The company’s use of Global International Airways and ties to Wilson’s other fronts (e.g., A.P.I. Distributors Inc., established by Wilson for Clines in 1978) reinforced its role as a CIA asset.