[meteorite-list] Meteorite Hunters Released from Oman

From: Rob Matson <mojave_meteorites_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Fri May 13 03:03:14 2005
Message-ID: <GOEDJOCBMMEHLEFDHGMMIEKJCIAA.mojave_meteorites_at_cox.net>

Hi Adam and List,

> I just heard from a reliable source some good news, the ten individuals
> that were caught meteorite hunting in Oman have been released. Just a
> week ago I heard from the same source they were being charged with
> three different felonies so it did not look good at that time making
> their release an unexpected surprise. I guess they had been living on
> credit cards for some time while waiting for their passports to be
> returned. From what I am lead to believe they had to forfeit all of
> their equipment; trucks, supplies and the meteorites in order to leave.
> I guess the poor guys were only allowed to leave with the shirts on
> their backs. I was told last week that the Omani government fined
> them $35.00 a gram for the meteorites they took which was over 40
> kilos amounting to about US $1,400,000.00. This amount seem ludicrous
> to me but shows what kind of value the people of Oman place on their
> meteorites. I also heard that an Omani guide connected to the Swiss
> was responsible for turning them in.

If there's any truth to the entire Omani incident, and the alleged
parties involved have truly been released, then assuming the outcome
of any pending litigation would not be adversely affected by
discussions here on the list, I would like to know more about what
really happened. What are the laws? What laws were broken? Who
are the parties involved? Many people on this list have a vested
interest in knowing the answers to these questions.

--Rob
Received on Fri 13 May 2005 03:03:06 AM PDT