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Australian accused of being ‘loyal agent’ to North Korea identified, called a ‘good man’

December 19, 2017 by  
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Chan Han Choi, 59, was arrested Saturday and charged with attempting to broker sales for Pyongyang and discussing weapons of mass destruction.

 (Australian Federal Police)

The Australian man who was arrested Saturday after being accused of working as an agent for North Korea as part of a case “like nothing … ever seen on Australian soil” has been identified.

Chan Han Choi, 59, was arrested in Sydney and charged with attempting to broker sales for Pyongyang and discussing weapons of mass destruction, The Australian reported Monday. Choi allegedly had acted on behalf of the rogue nation since at least 2008.

Choi, who was born in South Korea and became a naturalized Australian citizen, was described by Australian Federal Police Assistant Commissioner Neil Haughan on Sunday as a “loyal agent for North Korea who believed he was acting to serve some higher patriotic purpose.”

AUSTRALIAN MAN ACCUSED OF BROKERING NORTH KOREA MISSILE SALES

Australian police said Choi was generating tens of millions of dollars for Pyongyang by arranging the sale of missiles, components and expertise from North Korea to other international entities, and was trying to arrange the transfer of coal from the country to Indonesia and Vietnam.

Friends of Chan Han Choi within Sydney’s Korean Christian community distanced themselves from him.

 (Australian Federal Police)

It’s believed Choi had worked as a hospital custodian and often went by the name “Solomon,” according to The Australian. He was believed to have “turned” and reportedly visited North Korea often, starting roughly six years ago.

Friends of Choi’s within Sydney’s Korean Christian community distanced themselves from him.

“The first time we interacted there was no problem. However, after two or three times, his thinking started to change slightly to support the North ­Korean regime and it ­worried me, so I broke off the friendship,” a former friend from church told The Australian.

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The former friend’s wife said she “hated that my husband met with him.”

“I don’t like anything related to North Korea; many people are scared for their safety,” the wife said. “All those trips to North Korea — he was very private and we thought it was very strange.”

Two neighbors of Choi’s told The Daily Telegraph Choi’s arrest was “a real shock” and called him “quite nice,” while another neighbor said he was “very polite” and a “good man.”

Australian police said Choi is the first person charged under the country’s Weapons of Mass Destruction Act and faces 10 years in prison.

Choi reportedly is scheduled to appear in court next week.

Fox News’ Samuel Chamberlain contributed to this report.

Nicole Darrah covers breaking and trending news for FoxNews.com. Follow her on Twitter @nicoledarrah.

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Track Palin called cops ‘peasants,’ asked father to shoot him, court documents say

December 19, 2017 by  
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New details emerged Monday about the arrest of Track Palin, the eldest son of former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, with charging documents saying he broke into his parents’ home and beat his father, who was brandishing a gun but refused to shoot.

Track Palin, 28, was arrested Saturday and is charged with first-degree burglary, fourth-degree assault and criminal mischief; he remains in custody. A court filing describes a chaotic scene at the family’s home in Wasilla, Alaska, when Track Palin confronted his father over a truck he wanted to pick up.

His father, Todd Palin, had told him not to come to the home because Track Palin had been drinking and taking pain medication, according to a sworn police affidavit and charging documents.

“Track told him he was [going to] come anyway to beat his ass,” according to an affidavit filed by Wasilla police Officer Adam LaPointe.