Pubdate: Thu, 14 Sep 2006 Source: Province, The (CN BC) Copyright: 2006 The Province Contact: http://www.canada.com/theprovince/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/476 Author: Keith Fraser, The Province Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?188 (Outlaw Bikers) COPS HAD 'TUNNEL VISION' Spy says RCMP refused to believe suspect wasn't a criminal RCMP had "tunnel vision" for one of two alleged Hells Angels accused of methamphetamine trafficking, a police agent admitted yesterday. Michael Plante, hired for $1 million to infiltrate the motorcycle gang, testified that he told his police handlers that Nima Ghavami was not involved in criminal activity. "They seemed to suffer from tunnel vision," said Ghavami's lawyer Don Morrison. "Would you agree with that?" "Maybe a blind eye would be good," said Plante, 39. "Tunnel vision is a good one." Morrison said, "In the whole process, Ghavami is collateral damage. If he's injured or arrested, it's too bad?" Replied Plante: "I tried to keep him out of it, yes." Plante met Ghavami, 23, at Vancouver's Cecil Hotel, where both men worked. They became friends and worked out together. In other testimony, Plante told B.C. Supreme Court Justice Victor Curtis that the RCMP paid for perks to further the investigation. Plante was given a dinner before a CFL game, four tickets to the game and six tickets for a Jerry Seinfeld concert. Plante also got a travel advance for a 10-day trip to Medicine Hat in December 2004. Plante admitted that as an informant before becoming an agent, he helped deal more than $500,000 in methamphetamines in just two months while he was on bail for extortion. He said the police were aware of the drug dealing. Police did not breach his bail, Plante said under questioning from Greg DelBigio, a lawyer for the second accused, Ronaldo Lising. "You had a licence to commit crimes?" said DelBigio. "Yes," replied Plante. The drug-dealing involved "multi-kilograms" of drugs, with a pound of meth selling for $12,000, he told the court. In June 2004, Plante signed an agreement with RCMP to be paid up to $1 million to infiltrate the motorcycle gang. Yesterday, he said that he was under pressure from the police to sign a letter of acknowledgement. "I didn't feel I had enough time to read it over and understand it." Under questioning from Morrison, Plante said police told him he could commit no violence as a police agent. "No criminal activity whatsoever without reporting to them." Plante has admitted to numerous assaults, including an assault on one of the Hells Angels' targets. DelBigio and Morrison are seeking to have the charges stayed on the grounds that Plante committed unauthorized crimes. The trial continues. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake