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Jonathan Idema

Jonathan Keith "Jack" Idema (May 30, 1956 – January 21, 2012) was an American mercenary and former United States Army reserve non-commissioned officer, known for his vigilante activities during the War in Afghanistan.

Formerly a member of the U.S. Army Special Forces, Idema never saw combat and left the military in 1984 to form several companies centered around counterterrorism and internal security. Idema made numerous unverified claims about his military service and supposed terrorist threats, and experienced several lawsuits over various feuds.

In September 2004, Idema was found guilty of running an unlawful and unsanctioned private prison in Afghanistan and torturing Afghan citizens. At the time, Idema had been falsely portraying himself as a U.S. government-sponsored special forces operative on a mission to apprehend terrorists. The U.S. government repeatedly denied most of his claims.

Idema served three years of a ten-year sentence. He was released early by Afghanistan's then-president Hamid Karzai in April 2007, and left Afghanistan in early June for Mexico, where he died of AIDS in late January 2012.

Early life
Idema was raised in Poughkeepsie, New York, graduating from high school there in 1974. His father, former Marine and World War II veteran H. John Idema, believed that his son was a "dedicated American". H. John Idema died in November 2008.

Military service
Idema enlisted in the U.S. Army in February 1975. Two years after his enlistment, in 1977, he trained and qualified for the United States Army Special Forces.

The nature of Idema's military service in the Special Forces is contentious. Tod Robberson of The Dallas Morning News noted that there was a discrepancy between what Idema claimed his military experience was and what is stated in his official military record. Idema repeatedly stated that he acquired 12 years of Special Forces service, 22 years of combat training, and 18 years of covert operations experience. However, per official records, Idema's military career was short and contained several reports of poor performance, with no recorded combat experience.

According to his military record obtained in the course of his 1994 fraud trial, after serving one term in the Special Forces, Idema was not allowed to reenlist, likely due to poor performance. He had received numerous negative remarks from superior officers, in addition to participating in three non-judicial punishment proceedings between April 29, 1976 and April 28, 1977. Idema was cited for "failure to obey orders, being derelict in the performance of his duty, and being disrespectful to a superior commanding officer." One superior officer, Captain John D. Carlson, stated that Idema was "without a doubt the most unmotivated, unprofessional, immature enlisted man I have ever known."

Idema was given an honorable discharge and allowed to join the United States Army Reserve 11th Special Forces Group working to provide logistical support. In a November 1, 1980 letter of reprimand, Major Paul R. Decker wrote that Idema "consistently displayed an attitude of noncooperation with persons outside his immediate working environment, disregard for authority and gross immaturity characterized by irrationality and a tendency toward violence." In January 1981, Idema was relieved of his Army Reserve duties; his last position was the assistant sergeant of operations and intelligence. After leaving the Army Reserves, he became a member of the Individual Ready Reserve until he left the military completely in 1984.

Business interests
Several years after he left the Army, Idema became involved in the paintball business, opening a paintball supply and equipment company in Fayetteville, North Carolina, named Idema Combat Systems. He later segued that business into a paramilitary clothier and supply company operating under the same name.

Sometime in the early 1980s Idema founded Counterr Group (also known as US Counter-Terrorist Group), a business entity which, according to its website, specialized in expert training for counter-terrorism, assault tactics, and other security-related services. Counterr Group's legal status and ownership was questionable; according to a Soldier of Fortune article published in 2004, Idema was mentioned as the owner. The company website listed an address in North Carolina, but there was no record of the company's registration in that state. However, a company called "Counter Group, Inc." had been incorporated in 1997 by William L. London, a lawyer who represented Idema in several lawsuits. The status for this company was listed as "suspended" as of 2004.

Counterr Group Academy was operational for at least ten years, from the late 1970s to the late 1980s. It was based at a small airstrip south of Route 199 in Red Hook, New York. There were several permanent staff, as well as visiting staff, all under the direction of Keith Idema. At least ten formal courses of training were offered. These included basic firearm safety, offered to the general public, as well as pistol, rifle and shotgun programs in both assault and combat roles, offered only to active military servicemen and police. Rappelling, both with and without a firearm component, was offered at the on-ground rappelling tower. The facilities included both interior and exterior "Hogan's Alley" style environments, equipped with reactive targets. Courses consisted of both classroom study and field exercises.

All advanced training was in a live-fire environment. Combat and assault courses lasted for three days. Trainees, up to 20 per course, lived and slept on the premises. Nighttime courses were conducted with starlight scopes.

The only company in North Carolina registered to Jonathan Idema is Idema Combat Systems, which, according to state records, was incorporated in January 1991 and dissolved in July 1994. The websites for Counter Group are registered to Thomas R. Bumback, a business associate of Idema's who is believed to be the company's current director. There is a record of Counterr Group being formed in Poughkeepsie, New York in 1983, but the company is listed as "inactive."

Idema also owned a company called Special Operations Exposition and Trade Show Inc., which hosted organized conventions for military equipment suppliers.

There are two other known companies, Isabeau Dakota, Inc. and Star America Aviation Company, Ltd., that have connections to Idema. The latter claims to be an aviation support company founded in July 2008 with operations based out of Dubai. Both companies are registered to William "Skip" London in North Carolina, but Isabeau Dakota is listed as a shell company; its last annual report, filed in 2002, identifies H. John Idema (Idema's father) of Poughkeepsie as president and sole officer, and it lists no significant assets or business activity. The website for Star America Aviation is also registered to Bumback and the websites for Counterr Group and Star America Aviation are very similar, including the use of imagery depicting Idema in Afghanistan and prior to his arrest.

Idema's Afghan charity Northern Alliance Assistance in Fayetteville, North Carolina was later listed as a dog kennel.

Legal issues
In addition to his occasional entrepreneurial pursuits, Idema had a substantial criminal record. Over the years, Idema was charged with impersonating an officer, conspiracy, passing bad checks, assault, possession of stolen property, and discharging a firearm into a dwelling. In January 1994, Idema was arrested and charged with 58 counts of wire fraud, having allegedly defrauded 59 companies of about $260,000. He was convicted of the charges, sentenced to six years in prison (paroled after having served three years) and was subsequently ordered to pay restitution.

Idema was also involved in multiple lawsuits, including suits against journalists, an aid worker, a colonel, his father, and the U.S. government. A prominent lawsuit filed by Idema against Steven Spielberg and Dreamworks Studios contended that Idema was the basis of a character in the 1997 Dreamworks film The Peacemaker. The claim was dismissed, and Idema was ordered to pay $267,079 in legal fees.

On August 15, 2001, a jury awarded Idema $781,818 for property damage and $1 million for punitive damages. The award came after a jury decided that a property manager improperly sold some of his belongings while Idema was serving his fraud sentence. Two property managers were hired by Idema to take care of a building that housed equipment for two of his businesses, Special Operations Exposition and Trade Show Inc., and Idema Combat Systems. According to the lawsuit, equipment was missing, damaged or destroyed, and holes were punched in the walls of the building. Idema sued both property managers and their wives on April 10, 2000, but everyone except for one property manager was later dropped from the suit. Idema never collected the $1.8 million because the property manager that was found liable declared bankruptcy, and Idema settled for $650,000 that he obtained through lawsuits filed against insurance carriers. Idema's father was the insured.

In June 2005, an investigator sued Idema alleging that he wasn't paid when Idema won the $1.8 million lawsuit. The investigator claimed that Idema orally agreed to pay 15% of any amount collected, he also claimed that Idema failed to pay court reporters, expert witnesses, and others who helped him with his case.

Lithuania and nuclear weapons smuggling claim
In 1993 Idema was contracted to train police forces in Lithuania. After his return, he contacted officials from both the United States Department of Defense (DoD) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), claiming to have uncovered a conspiracy by the Russian mafia to smuggle nuclear materials out of Lithuania. According to Idema, FBI agents demanded he provide the names of his contacts. He refused, claiming that the FBI was infiltrated by KGB agents and that his sources would have been killed.

It was around this time that Idema was being investigated for wire fraud and eventually convicted in 1994. The FBI began their investigation into Idema's activities as early as May 1991, before he even approached the FBI about Lithuania.

Entry and credentials
Illegal entry into Afghanistan was one of the charges leveled against Idema and two other Americans accompanying him, former soldier Brent Bennett and television journalist Edward Caraballo. That charge was eventually dropped.

Idema first traveled to Afghanistan in November 2001 to conduct what he said was "humanitarian aid" work, when he was actually working for the National Geographic Channel with Gary Scurka. It was at this time that he involved himself in the research Robin Moore was conducting for his book The Hunt for Bin Laden.

According to Scurka, a reporter for CBS News, Idema contacted him a few weeks after the September 11 attacks and announced he was going to Afghanistan to do humanitarian aid work with Knightsbridge International and the Partners International Foundation, two aid groups run by former military personnel. This led to Scurka and Idema presenting a film documentary project for National Geographic.

Idema, Scurka, and Greg Long (a member of the Partners International Foundation) traveled to Tashkent, Uzbekistan, where they were arrested for visa problems and held in a cell overnight. The three were freed after their captors received a letter from the U.S. embassy in Uzbekistan, written by an officer in the Defense Attaché's Office, describing Idema and Scurka as "contracting officers from the Defense Department who arrived in Uzbekistan for an official trip." The letter, which was verified as authentic by the director of the Department of State's press office, was dated November 2, 2001, and asked Uzbekistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs for help in issuing visas to Idema, Gary Scurka, and Greg Long.

Idema then joined the Partners International Foundation at the same time Scurka received a National Geographic assignment to produce a documentary on humanitarian aid work in Afghanistan. A memo signed by the president of the National Geographic Channel says Scurka would be going to Afghanistan with Knightsbridge International, and the leader of Knightsbridge, Edward Artis, would be working with Idema. Artis was sued by Idema.

Author Robert Young Pelton believes that Idema then used those letters and what appeared to be a falsified or modified military ID. Idema claimed he had a visa similar to those carried by U.S. Army Special Forces to convince the Afghan commanders and other people of his official status.

After Idema entered Afghanistan, both humanitarian organizations quickly became wary of Idema's intentions. In December 2001, Artis wrote to the U.S. Army Special Operations Command warning them of Idema's activities, stating:

"[Idema] is a very dangerous person by virtue of his carelessness and stupidity, and before he gets someone killed ... he needs to be removed from the area. I feel that given the amount of time that he has been allowed to run around telling people he has been working for the U.S. Embassy, Pentagon, Special Ops under cover or the CIA, that he has garnered or bought enough contacts to pose a real threat to not only me and those near me but the over all mission of the United States and the Coalition that is fighting there."

Idema later filed suit against Artis and Knightsbridge, but the case was dismissed and a monetary judgement was in turn placed against him.

Activities
Idema led a group he called "Task Force Saber 7", consisting of two other Americans and several Afghans. The group may have been operating in Afghanistan with independent financial backing or with funds from the lawsuit settlements Idema had won a few years earlier. He frequently interacted with reporters, often going to great lengths in his interviews to stress connections with the CIA and Special Forces. Some supporters suggest that he was a former member of an unspecified covert operations unit, reactivated and positioned in Afghanistan to hunt for Osama bin Laden as part of Alec Station. A relationship to the Northern Alliance was denied by their official representative in the United States.

Some critics of Idema claim that his attempts to create a high profile with the media make it unlikely that Idema was officially connected with any branch of the military; covert operatives go to great lengths to avoid public appearances and media, and are barred from unauthorized contact. The fact that Caraballo, who was not a soldier, was with Idema in Afghanistan to document his activities strained credibility that Idema was operating covertly. It is also unlikely Idema would be selected to a government job in an official capacity giving his service record.

Idema was known to have a volatile temper that seemed to be particularly directed against news correspondents assigned to Kabul. On several occasions, Idema threatened journalists with bodily harm or death, and in one particular instance, at a dinner in December 2001, he threatened to kill a reporter from Stars and Stripes because the reporter had disclosed Idema's fraud conviction.

It has been recorded that Idema frequently contacted the DoD through the front office of General William G. Boykin in the Pentagon, and that his information was duly acknowledged. However, all of those contacts were outside the U.S. military operating channels, and were all one-sided calls from Afghanistan via Idema's personal satellite phone. Boykin's office repeatedly asked Idema to stop making these unsolicited phone calls, because they were disruptive and time-consuming, and Boykin could not be of assistance. Idema continued calling Boykin's office anyway to establish some sort of self-serving relationship until his arrest. While the U.S. government was aware of Idema's activities in Afghanistan, they stated there was unequivocally no relationship between them.

The United States Central Command stated that International Security Assistance Force forces received one detainee from Idema on May 3, 2004. Idema claimed that the individual was associated with the Taliban. Once in ISAF custody however, the detainee was determined not to be who Idema claimed, and was released in the first week of July.

The United States was not the only government that had contact with Idema in Afghanistan. On three occasions, Idema tricked the Canadian-led NATO mission into providing explosives experts and bomb-sniffing dogs. According to a spokesman for the ISAF, Idema called for and received technical support after his vigilante team raided compounds on the 20th, 22nd, and 24th of June 2004. ISAF personnel believed they were "providing legitimate support to a legitimate security agency."

Idema also received assistance from Yunus Qanuni, former minister, senior Afghan government security advisor, and influential member of the Northern Alliance. In one video tape presented at Idema's trial, Qanuni thanked Idema for uncovering an assassination plot against him and volunteered his personal security forces to help Idema with arrests. Another tape appeared to show Qanuni's security troops assisting Idema in a house raid.

On July 4, 2004, the United States Central Command released a media advisory that read:

"U.S. citizen Jonathan K. Idema has allegedly represented himself as an American government and/or military official. The public should be aware that Idema does not represent the American government and we do not employ him."

In perhaps the most terse assessment of Idema's alleged involvement in Operation Enduring Freedom, Billy Waugh, senior CIA covert operative and decorated former Special Forces member who was part of the Agency-run "Jawbreaker" team, said:

"We only had 80 guys involved in our [Afghanistan] operations and Idema wasn't one of them."

Arrest, trial and sentencing
Idema and his associates Brent Bennett and Edward Caraballo were arrested on July 5, 2004 by Afghan police during a raid in which they found eight Afghan men, some hanging from their feet, bound and hooded in detention. The arrest of Idema occurred only about three months after 60 Minutes II broke the story about the Abu Ghraib torture and prisoner abuse scandal.

Idema claimed to have had private contact with Lieutenant General Boykin and several other senior Pentagon officials, and at his trial introduced taped conversations with staff of General Boykin's office, although not directly with Boykin himself. In the conversations, the staff members said that they would pass Idema's information along to proper authorities. However, the judge stated that the videos were "inconclusive" and that he lacked concrete, documentary evidence. American Embassy officials stated that as far as they knew, neither Mr. Idema nor anyone in his group was working for a government agency, and the military issued statements saying Idema was impersonating government or military officials and did not represent either.

He further tried to prove his official status when he claimed to be working for the US Counter Terrorism Group, the same group that some sources say he founded. He claimed his group had prevented assassination attempts on Education Minister Yunus Qanuni and Defense Minister Marshal Mohammad Qasim Fahim. He also claimed the FBI interrogated several militants captured by his group and that after his arrest, the FBI removed from his premises hundreds of videos, photos, and documents. Some of the pieces were later returned to Idema and his defense team.

The DoD's only official contact with Idema was accepting one prisoner who was held for a month by the U.S. military, but added that officials declined his offer to work with the government in capturing terror suspects in Afghanistan. In early 2004, Idema was in contact with Heather Anderson, the Pentagon's Acting Director of Security. Anderson was under the supervision of the chief official responsible for intelligence matters in Donald Rumsfeld's office. Idema told the Afghan court that Anderson commended his work, but Anderson said she later turned down Idema's request to work in Afghanistan for the Pentagon. Idema continued to contact Anderson's office in hopes of establishing a relationship.

Idema, Caraballo and Bennett were charged with entering the country illegally, running a private prison, and torture. John Tiffany served as Idema's attorney. During the trial, Idema charged that he, Caraballo, and Bennett were being beaten while in Afghan custody; however, U.S. authorities stated the men were being treated humanely.

On 15 September 2004, a three-judge Afghan panel headed by Judge Abdul Baset Bakhtyari sentenced both Idema and Bennett to a ten-year prison term, while Caraballo received eight years. Idema and Bennett's sentences were later cut to five and three respectively. Caraballo claimed he was filming Idema and Bennett for a documentary on counterterrorism. Four Afghans working with Idema were sentenced to between one and five years imprisonment.

Caraballo was later pardoned by President Hamid Karzai and returned to the United States. Bennett was released early for good behavior on September 30, 2006.

Caraballo's lawyer said that the day before Caraballo left Afghanistan, Caraballo and Bennett lived in a filthy 6x8 ft. cell with four suspected Al-Qaeda members; the American prisoners were moved to a different prison for better protection. In a more recent assessment, the cell in which the prisoners lived was described as "posh".

Amnesty and refusal to leave prison
On April 10, 2007, the Associated Press reported that Idema would soon be released from prison and then sent back to the United States, and that the Afghan government had granted him amnesty. However, under the amnesty that commuted his sentence he was effectively released on April 4.

Idema refused to leave the prison, first demanding that his passport, personal effects, and documents that he claimed proves his official connection with the U.S. government, be returned to him. According to him, he was owed compensation for $500,000 worth of equipment, mostly computers, weapons, and cameras, that was confiscated by the Afghan government when he was arrested. Having obtained through the offices of the U.S. Embassy in Kabul a new passport and money to apply for a visa to India, Idema insisted that his belongings be returned and that a pet dog previously owned by Bennett be allowed to travel with him.

Idema also filed another lawsuit against the U.S. government, reaffirming allegations initially made in 2005 that he and his associates had been illegally imprisoned, except now with the additional claim that he had been tortured. According to U.S. District Judge Emmet G. Sullivan, "Petitioners allege that United States officials ordered their arrest, ordered their torture, stole exculpatory evidence during their trial and appeal, exerted undue influence over Afghan judges, and either directly or indirectly ordered judges who found petitioners innocent not to release petitioners from prison." This was a shift from the earlier strategy on the part of Idema to exonerate himself on the basis that he was acting on a Pentagon-approved mission. Instead the focus was on the trial itself, specifically whether or not due process was observed, with the added claim of being a torture victim. In both instances Idema accused the U.S. government of deliberately withholding information.

Judge Sullivan subsequently ordered the FBI and the Department of State to answer the allegations. Attorneys from the United States Department of Justice requested the case be dismissed on the grounds that Idema's sentence had been commuted. Idema's lawyer said the government coordinated Idema's amnesty to avoid having to respond to allegations of misconduct.

Idema's allegations of withheld evidence were originally made during his Afghan trial in 2004. When the men were arrested in early July, the tapes were confiscated by the FBI. Caraballo's lawyer, Michael Skibbie, claimed that he was only allowed to access a portion of the tapes weeks after he requested access. Several of the tapes were used; however, Skibbie said several important tapes were damaged, missing or partly erased after the FBI took custody of them. Some of the footage Skibbie obtained was shown in court. The court tapes showed Idema being greeted at an airport by high-ranking Afghan officials, Idema being thanked by Qanuni, security forces working with Idema, captured suspects confessing during interrogation, and ISAF forces helping Idema.

While these proceedings were being conducted, Idema said that another reason he had not left was because he feared for his life, ostensibly at the hands of the Afghan government, saying "I could drive through the Policharki [sic] gates right now. Then what happens? I get arrested. [The intelligence service] will arrest me for not having an Afghan visa and they'll torture me and kill me. If I'm lucky, I'm only going to be tortured." On June 2, 2007, Idema left the prison and was immediately flown out of the country.

Personal life
After leaving Afghanistan, Idema moved to Mexico to become a proprietor of Blue Lagoon Boat Tours out of Bacalar, on the Yucatán Peninsula, under the name of "Black Jack". He was charged by his former girlfriend Penny Alesi of infecting her with HIV when he knew he had the disease. His arrest warrant and publicity surrounding charges were picked up by Mexican and American media.

Although he was known to engage in sexual relations with men and transgender women, he claimed to have had nine wives, according to Alesi, although only one of them may have been legal. At his death, he was listed as having no immediate survivors.

According to his father's obituary notice, Idema was described as a "Green Beret with an organization involved in the War on Terror."

Relationship with the media
Idema had some success convincing members of the media that he was a terrorism expert. This allowed him to secure interviews and in some instances get his "terrorism videos" broadcast on television. After indicating to journalists that he had the videos in his possession, he would usually agree to provide them in exchange for money. Since Idema's questionable history has come to light, the news media has been criticized for its willingness to distribute any content or information coming from him.

Controversies
At the center of the controversy is Idema's claim that he was in Afghanistan on behalf of the U.S. government and that he was an advisor to the Northern Alliance. At other times, Idema told people he was in Afghanistan doing humanitarian work or that he was a "security consultant" for journalists. He also actively sought media attention for himself and his activities, to the point of offering interviews in return for payment, even though he himself said he was operating covertly.

Many believe Idema to be a con artist or impostor, based on his refusal or inability to demonstrate verifiable proof for his claims, on legal records that contradict his assertions about his background, as well as on a prior conviction for mail fraud and a history of criminal activity. Some have suggested that he may also be delusional in having concocted a fantasy-type personality for himself as a highly trained covert operative combating international terrorism, despite a brief and mostly non-notable military record (which states that Idema was in the Special Forces strictly in a support capacity). This opinion was echoed by Major Scott Nelson, the U.S. military spokesperson in Kabul at the time of Idema's arrest in 2004. The judge in Idema's 1994 fraud trial also questioned Idema's psychological state and ordered him to undergo evaluation prior to his sentencing. The report said that while he was not "mentally ill", Idema had a "personality disorder which would affect his interaction with persons exhibiting similar traits, such as supervisors, attorneys, doctors, judges and other persons in positions of power or authority."

In the early 1990s, claimed that he had learned the Russian mafia planned to smuggle nuclear weapons out of Russia, that he participated in covert operations in Latin America, and that as a soldier he parachuted out of airplanes accompanied by his bomb-sniffing dog Sarge, who he intended to clone.

Idema was not without supporters, usually found among blogs sympathetic to his situation. The contributors to these blogs believed that he was being unjustly punished for actions condoned, if not officially sanctioned, by the U.S. military. However, there has been little support for Idema's claims in general media outlets. Indeed, many members of the media who encountered Idema while they were on assignment in Afghanistan regard him as a fraud.

Lithuania
In 1995, while Idema was awaiting sentencing for fraud charges, he agreed to provide information to CBS News about the nuclear materials smuggling plot he allegedly uncovered. Gary Scurka produced a 60 Minutes piece entitled "The Worst Nightmare", based in part on Idema's account. According to Scurka, the network declined to credit Idema during the broadcast because of the fraud conviction, even though he was a major source for the story. A CBS spokesperson claimed that the story took 6 months to fully investigate, by which time it was very different from the one Idema gave. Both the 60 Minutes story and a companion piece published in U.S. News & World Report received the Renner Award for Outstanding Crime Reporting.

The lack of credit given to Idema prompted Scurka and Caraballo to begin making a documentary film with the working title, Any Lesser Man: The Keith Idema Story. According to promotional materials, the documentary was to be "the real story of one lone Green Beret's private war against KGB Nuclear Smuggling, Soviet spies, Arab terrorists, and the FBI." It was never completed.

Marecek murder trial
Idema and Scurka again worked together as consultants for the 48 Hours story about Colonel George Marecek, a highly decorated Special Forces soldier accused and later convicted of murdering his wife. The two were fired from the project because they were determined to be taking an advocacy role for the defense. They opened a "Free Marecek" office in the town where the trial was taking place. In December 2000, 48 Hours ran the story on Marecek which included material from Idema, and Scurka's research. Idema also took a leading part in the formation of Point Blank News to support Marecek.

September 11 attacks
On the day following the attacks, Idema gave an interview as a "counterterrorism adviser" to KTTV, the Fox network affiliate in Los Angeles. During his news appearance, he claimed that the hijackers might have seized three Canadian jetliners, in addition to four American planes.

Al Qaeda hoax training footage
Idema sold tapes to many publishers that he claimed showed an Al-Qaeda training camp in action. The tapes showed men in camouflaged tunics and ski masks storming buildings, practicing drive-by shootings, and attacking golf courses. CBS bought the right to broadcast the tapes before any other network. They were used in a 60 Minutes II episode called "Heart of Darkness" in January 2002. CBS presented Idema and the tapes he supplied as reliable.

Idema made more money from the same tapes when he sold the rights to rebroadcast the Al-Qaeda training camp footage with still pictures to The Boston Globe, MSNBC, NBC, ABC, BBC, and others.

The authenticity of the several hours of tape is disputed because the supposed tactics shown are not used by Al-Qaeda. The "Al-Qaeda" fighters shown in the footage also occasionally communicated in English and laughed, providing credence to the notion that the tapes were staged. Some major outlets, including NBC Nightly News and CNN, declined to broadcast the tapes due to credibility concerns.

Idema in September 2008 Al-Qaeda video
Al-Qaeda itself appears to have used some of Idema's footage in their September 2008 video release. In a segment released by ABC, Idema appears "to threaten to kill an Afghan citizen during an interrogation." Al Qaeda claims to have "captured" the footage from Idema, but its provenance remains unclear.

State-sponsored terrorism
Idema sought to show that he had inside knowledge of Al-Qaeda's collaboration with state governments. For instance, he made suggestions that there was collaboration among North Korea, several Middle-Eastern countries, and Al-Qaeda, and that there was ample evidence linking "Iraq, Iran, and Saudi Arabia to Al-Qaeda and to the attacks on September 11," and that in Afghanistan, the link between Iraq and Al-Qaeda was "common knowledge." He also said that Iraq under Saddam Hussein was a supporter of Al-Qaeda and other terrorist organizations "with money, with equipment, with technology, with weapons of mass destruction." He also claimed to have firsthand knowledge of nuclear weapons being smuggled from Russia to Iraq, Iran, and North Korea.

Idema in September 2009 Al-Qaeda video
An Al-Qaeda video released in September 2009 appears to contain video clips of Idema torturing an Afghan by dunking his head in a bucket of water. This footage was used to make the case that the U.S. is involved in torture in Afghanistan, despite the U.S. government denying Idema worked for them.

Media coverage

 * Task Force Dagger: The Hunt for bin Laden (ISBN 0-375-50861-9), by The Green Berets author Robin Moore, had sections devoted to Idema. They referred to him as a special forces operative named "Jack" (he was also featured on the book's cover). Unknown to Moore, Idema had added a number of fictional episodes to the book that he would later use to support his claims. In the manuscript Idema also included appeals for donations to charities listed under his and his wife's address. He managed to do this by altering the final manuscript without Moore's consent before it was sent to the publisher. Random House quietly dropped the book from print after publishing what had become a work of fiction that even its author had disavowed. Moore has since regretted Idema's involvement and insisted that the publisher refused to include his corrections.
 * Robert Young Pelton, in his book about private security contractors, Licensed to Kill: Hired Guns in the War on Terror (ISBN 1-4000-9781-9), devotes a chapter to Idema's exploits in Afghanistan, including his controversial involvement in Moore's book Task Force Dagger: The Hunt for bin Laden.
 * Peter Bergen's article published in Rolling Stone, "Jack Idema: Shadow Warrior," examines Idema's military career.
 * Eric Campbell's book on reporting in war zones, Absurdistan (ISBN 0-7322-7980-1), has a few chapters on Idema.
 * Newsweek had a short section on Idema called "An Afghan Mystery" by John Barry and Owen Matthews in the July 26, 2004 edition.
 * In February 2009, in an article entitled "Laptop may hold key to high-level scam", the Post-Tribune of Northwest Indiana wrote of a police report that Idema had attempted to obtain a laptop used by jailed military imposter Joseph A. Cafasso, also a former Fox News consultant, from the 63-year-old woman with whom Cafasso had recently been living. The woman was frightened of Idema and so turned the laptop over to police.
 * On June 25, 2022, video blog Oki’s Weird Stories released a documentary about Idema, titled The King of Stolen Valor, featuring previously unseen materials and original eyewitness testimonials, on their YouTube channel.

Death
Idema died of AIDS on January 21, 2012, in Mexico.

FBI investigation
Documents released under FOIA show that the Department of Justice and FBI had been operating an active investigation of Idema as-from 2005.

title: Jonathan Idema


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NGC 404

NGC 404 is a field galaxy located about 10 million light years away in the constellation Andromeda. It was discovered by William Herschel in 1784, and is visible through small telescopes. NGC 404 lies just beyond the Local Group and does not appear gravitationally bound to it. It is located within 7 arc-minutes of second magnitude star Mirach, making it a difficult target to observe or photograph and granting it the nickname "Mirach's Ghost".

Physical characteristics
NGC 404 is a very isolated dwarf lenticular galaxy, a bit more luminous and smaller than the Small Magellanic Cloud. Unlike many other early-type galaxies, it is very rich in neutral hydrogen, most of it concentrated in a pair of large rings around it. It also has star formation both on its center and on its outermost regions, albeit at a low level

Both the outer gas disk and its star formation are assumed to have been triggered by one or several mergers with smaller galaxies roughly 1 billion years ago and it has been proposed NGC 404 is a former spiral galaxy that was transformed into a lenticular one by that event

LINER emission
NGC 404 contains a low-ionization nuclear emission-line region (LINER), a type of region that is characterized by spectral line emission from weakly ionized atoms. A nuclear star cluster is also present as well as -likely- a supermassive black hole, with a mass of several tens of thousands solar masses

Distance measurements
At least two techniques have been used to measure distances to NGC 404. The infrared surface brightness fluctuations distance measurement technique estimates distances to spiral galaxies based on the graininess of the appearance of their bulges. The distance measured to NGC 404 using this technique in 2003 is 9.9 ± 0.5 Mly (3.03 ± 0.15 Mpc).

However, NGC 404 is close enough that red supergiants can be imaged as individual stars. The light from these stars and knowledge of how they should compare to nearby stars within the Milky Way galaxy allows for direct measurement of the distance to the galaxy. This method is referred to as the tip of the red giant branch (TRGB) method. The estimated distance to NGC 404 using this technique is 10.0 ± 1.2 Mly (3.1 ± 0.4 Mpc). Averaged together, these distance measurements give a distance estimate of 10.0 ± 0.7 Mly (3.07 ± 0.21 Mpc).

Possible satellite
In 2018 a possible satellite designated Donatiello I was identified. Donatiello I is a dwarf spheroidal galaxy with little recent star formation. Difficulty in establishing the exact distance to the galaxy leaves its status as a satellite unconfirmed.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: NGC 404


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Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/DiKKy Hearties

Plausible, until you google "Rolloffle," with whom this character supposedly directed the Norse Royal Ballet, and find nothing but crap from the GNAA with "DiKKy" scattered in IRC logs. Hardly what you'd expect of someone who "received many national and international honours for his outstanding contribution to the world of ballet." If vote to delete, make sure to clean up Nordkapp as well. Wikisux 01:37, 6 Aug 2004 (UTC)
 * Delete: Further, "Rolloffle" turns up a slashdot troll id! Woo-hoo!  Further, it coughs up an ID at "piss resort."  Sounding better all the time, eh?  The slashdot troll says that he also visits Kuro5hin.  Say, didn't we get slashdotted recently? Good catch, Wikisux. Geogre 01:58, 6 Aug 2004 (UTC)
 * Delete. Joke by anon. Notable ballet dancers I Googled have a surprisingly (to me) high web presence, 9690 hits for Allan Alder (famous Australian dancer, no close relation), which convinces me. Yes, good work. Andrewa 05:32, 6 Aug 2004 (UTC)
 * Looks like patent nonsense to me, delete. Average Earthman 14:52, 6 Aug 2004 (UTC)


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Steinitz

Steinitz may refer to:

 * Steinitz, Germany, a town in the district of Altmarkkreis Salzwedel in Saxony-Anhalt in Germany
 * Steinitz (surname)

title: Steinitz


text:
NGC 281

NGC 281, IC 11 or Sh2-184 is a bright emission nebula and part of an H II region in the northern constellation of Cassiopeia and is part of the Milky Way's Perseus Spiral Arm. This 20×30 arcmin sized nebulosity is also associated with open cluster IC 1590, several Bok globules and the multiple star, B 1. It collectively forms Sh2-184, spanning over a larger area of 40 arcmin. A recent distance from radio parallaxes of water masers at 22 GHz made during 2014 is estimated it lies 2.82±0.20 kpc. (9200 ly.) from us. Colloquially, NGC 281 is also known as the Pacman Nebula for its resemblance to the video game character.

Edward Emerson Barnard discovered the nebula in August 1883, describing it as "a large faint nebula, very diffuse". Multiple star 'B 1' or β 1 was later discovered by S. W. Burnham, whose bright component is identified as the highly luminous O6 spectral class star, HD 5005 or HIP 4121. It consists of an 8th-magnitude primary with four companions at distances between 1.4 and 15.7 arcsec. There has been no appreciable change in this quintuple system since the first measures were made in 1875.

The nebula region is visible in amateur telescopes from dark sky locations. In his book Deep Sky Wonders, Walter Scott Houston describes the appearance of the nebula in small telescopes:
 * "There was a faint glow in the immediate vicinity of the multiple star, with an occasional impression of a much larger nebulosity...Its surface brightness was much less than that of M33 in Triangulum or NGC 205, the distant companion of the Andromeda galaxy."

title: NGC 281


text:
Emanuel Sandhu

Emanuel Sandhu (born November 18, 1980) is a Canadian figure skater and dancer. He is the 2004 Grand Prix Final champion and a three-time Canadian national champion.

Personal life
Sandhu was born on November 18, 1980, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He was raised in Richmond Hill, Ontario, with his younger brothers Chris and Daniel. His father, Lokraj, is Indian Sikh and his mother, Enza, was born in Italy. He is fluent in English, French, and Italian. Sandhu dabbles in modeling and singing.

Skating
Sandhu began figure skating at the age of eight. A year later, he was discovered by coach Joanne McLeod who would serve as his coach for his entire career. Sandhu later relocated to Burnaby, British Columbia, to continue training at the B.C. Centre of Excellence with McLeod, whom he credited as being his biggest support system.

He had early success in Canada, placing second in his first Canadian nationals. Sandhu's success qualified him for the 1998 Olympics in Nagano, but the Canadian Olympic committee refused to send him because, while he met the criteria of the Canadian Figure Skating Association, he did not meet theirs. He had missed the Grand Prix season because of injury while Langdon did not. Sandhu was a recipient of the Indo-Canadian Chamber of Commerce Lifetime Achievement Award in 1998.

Sandhu qualified for the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City, but was forced to withdraw before the short program due to injury. He also withdrew from the World Championships that year. Sandhu's father had left the family years earlier, and Sandhu was reunited with him prior to the 2002 Olympic Games. Sandhu stated that he was almost relieved to have to withdraw with an injury, because it was difficult dealing with his father's return.

Sandhu was the Canadian Nationals Champion in 2001, 2003 and 2004, and he won the Grand Prix Final in 2004, his most successful season. In winning the Grand Prix Final, Sandhu beat reigning World Champion Evgeni Plushenko and is one of only two people (with Brian Joubert) to beat Plushenko in the 2002-2006 quadrennium. This win was even more notable because Sandhu was a substitute, not having medaled at his Grand Prix events that season. Sandhu went on to win his third Canadian title and to take the silver medal at the 2004 Four Continents, his highest placement at the event.

Despite his various victories, Sandhu was inconsistent at major events. He kept his eligibility following the 2006 Olympics season. He competed at Cup of China, where he won the bronze medal, and Cup of Russia, where he placed fifth. At the 2007 Nationals, he was unable to hold onto silver and dropped to third, his lowest placement at the senior level at Nationals. His season continued its downward trend as he placed ninth at the 2007 Four Continents. He placed 16th at the 2007 Worlds.

In 2011, Sandhu performed in the Art on Ice show in China. He also registered to compete in a qualifying competition for the 2012 Canadian Nationals, his first competition since 2007. He withdrew because of a foot injury and lack of preparation time due to ice shows.

Sandhu returned to competition in December 2012 at the 2013 Skate Canada Challenge; he finished fifth, which qualified him for the 2013 Canadian Nationals. Commenting on his decision to return to competition, Sandhu said, "I don't want the feeling I have when I look back on the sport to be one that isn't full of joy, happiness and satisfaction. I probably would think about it the rest of my life if I didn't try." He trained without a coach in Burnaby, British Columbia. Sandhu went on to finish 9th in the short program and 11th overall at the 2013 Canadian Nationals.

Dance
Sandhu began studying ballet at the age of three and continued to dance until the end of high school. He graduated from The National Ballet School of Canada.

In May 2008, Sandhu auditioned for So You Think You Can Dance Canada in Vancouver, British Columbia, and qualified for the final audition round in Toronto. He succeeded past all but the final round of auditions and was cut when selections were made for the show's Top 20.

Sandhu again auditioned during the second season of So You Think You Can Dance Canada, but this time made it into the Top 20. He finished in the Top 6 as the third-ranked male dancer.

Competitive highlights
GP: Grand Prix; JGP: Junior Grand Prix

title: Emanuel Sandhu


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Talk:American Pit Bull Terrier

Reason for not being recognized by the AKC
According to several sources, the breed was not recognized by the American Kennel Club as a specific breed and to avoid the association with dog fighting.

"Dubious" tags on UKC's claims of pitbull "friendliness to strangers" and "unwillingness to attack humans"
Given the huge number of pitbull attacks on humans, the UKC can be easily said to be "full of s**t" on these breed standards, since those attacks are so common in the breed, absent extreme training. Pitbulls are very, VERY assertive dogs, in a physical sense, for better or worse, unless they have an uncommonly good upbringing which works against their natural grain. I have read too much on pitbulls and known too many real-life pitbulls to be fooled otherwise. 98.242.135.224 (talk) 11:25, 11 November 2014 (UTC)

 * Everything is not a American Pitbull Terrier 2601:407:8582:6A0:4B7:3801:37DE:B09C (talk) 02:53, 17 July 2023 (UTC)
 * Even the most friendly breed will attack in the right circumstances. The pitbull family (American pitbull as well as the Amstaff AKA theAmerican Staffordshire Terrier) aboslutely require firm training and will freely assume an alpha dominant role if permitted, which is the reason these dogs are involved in an inordinate amount of bites, however, these dogs also want to be with their owners constantly, though the Amstaff is a little more laid back and will not seek to initiate a fight (though they will certainly finish one.) The American pit bull, generally speaking, is much more likely to initiate a fight as compared to the Amstaff. 2600:8804:6F0F:6D00:EDB1:D876:FEE7:47F4 (talk) 17:24, 22 September 2023 (UTC)

I agree, and the United Kennel Club is a euphemism, it should be called the For-Profit Dog Jail Industry.

Since you're admitting only anecdotal evidence, I get to say that my pitbull loves meeting strangers and makes fast friends with them, and is very sweet and loving around babies and children, and even other dogs and cats. I've known many bully breed dogs in my life, and I've been bit twice... Once by a Chihuahua and the second time by what I believe to be a Cairn Terrier. My Pitbull was rescued (by me) from someone who was abusing her when she was 6 months old. Everyone who meets her tells me that they want to keep her because she is super sweet and loves people so much. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Mermaidbebop (talk • contribs) 02:24, 26 June 2019 (UTC)

 * Welcome to Wikipedia. Please note, though, that Wikipedia is not a soapbox or a battleground, and Talk pages should not be used as platforms for personal views on a subject. Nomopbs (talk) 03:41, 26 June 2019 (UTC)

Most aren’t the real APBT https://www.therealpitbull.com/facts/ — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2600:1007:B105:CEA3:D8D1:5D97:46D1:87F1 (talk) 06:19, 8 December 2021 (UTC)

The breed or the owners?
People don't like the breed because of its ability to fight. ITS NOT THE BREED. Its the owners. they breed it into the dog. creating bad genetics. contact me at duma108@[redacted] to discuss.

~night-raven — Preceding unsigned comment added by Toboe (talk • contribs) 14:56, 28 January 2011 (UTC)

 * I think people don't like the breed because its the most neglected breed in the world. Many of its owners don't know or care about teaching it how to behave, but keep it chained to a plywood doghouse. That's what we need to change. Dwightlathan77 (talk) 23:13, 30 June 2011 (UTC)

 * I think you both are off your rocker. You are incapable of actually parsing this situation out and refraining from using human conceptions of blame instead of simple cause-and-effect statements.  — Preceding unsigned comment added by Wvguy8258 (talk • contribs) 03:57, 5 August 2011 (UTC)

Pitbulls are owned by people who want to own a dog capable of killing other people & dogs. It is therefore to be expected that such people will self select for certain cultural & character traits in themselves - which would widely he held to be negative outside their own squalod social circles. Fluttershypegasus (talk) 22:06, 14 June 2015 (UTC)
 * With respect, you are talking utter bollocks. In the wrong hands, any dog can kill.   Cassianto Talk   22:49, 24 August 2015 (UTC)

In regards to the original comment: "People don't like the breed because of its ability to fight. ITS NOT THE BREED. Its the owners. they breed it into the dog. creating bad genetics."

I think we can all agree that it's not the dog's fault that it has been bred to be a psychotic killing machine... — Preceding unsigned comment added by 99.199.5.24 (talk) 06:02, 13 June 2018 (UTC)

I think it can also be the result of bad breeding. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2600:1007:B105:CEA3:D8D1:5D97:46D1:87F1 (talk) 06:20, 8 December 2021 (UTC)

Lead doesnt explain why so many states prohibit the dog breed
Surely, the lead should note why states have enacted prohibitions on the dog breed? Snooganssnoogans (talk) 00:17, 11 January 2021 (UTC)
 * I agree, really strange that it's not mentioned. Even worse is that the article itself doesn't explain it. The "Temperament" section is devoted to either praising the dog for being too friendly ("The APBT is not the best choice for a guard dog since they are extremely friendly, even with strangers. Aggressive behavior toward humans is uncharacteristic of the breed ...") or debunking the one very vague line that talks about its aggression. It reads like it was written as a defense of the APBT, without explaining what it is even defending the dog from... Prinsgezinde (talk) 18:59, 6 April 2021 (UTC)
 * I reverted an IP edit that had made the "Temperament" section such a mess, but it's still far from good (or neutral). Prinsgezinde (talk) 19:10, 6 April 2021 (UTC)
 * According to the American Bar Association in Resolution 100 they say "Breed-discriminatory laws occasionally are proposed and sometimes passed by local governments. These proposals usually come after a well-publicized and emotional dog bite incident within or near the local community and are best described as “panic policymaking.”" Should we add this to the article?AjpDrumm-NJITWILL (talk) 19:06, 14 February 2022 (UTC)

 * No to the suggestion from AjpDrumm-NJITWILL to include an internal resolution from the ABA. Firstly, it's an internal resolution. Secondly, the ABA are not experts in policy-making nor animal behavior - their stated goals are the setting of academic standards and formulation of model ethical codes. Thirdly, the resolution's considerations only address 'dog bites' and ignore the severity and type of attack. Fourthly, and most importantly, their motivations are questionable. Their members stand to benefit from the repeal of legislation preventing ownership of dangerous breeds - many of their members practice personal injury law, so the resultant increase in dog attacks (and associated litigation) could be in their favor.

 * In any discussion of breed prohibition, it should definitely include data from the first-year after pitbull bans were repealed in Denver, Colorado. The 30-year ban on pitbulls in Denver was lifted at the end of 2020. In the first year of the ban (2021), pit bulls were responsible for more reported bites on people than any other breed and topped the list for multiple-bite incidents. It seems 'panic policy-making' goes both ways, but one prevents injuries and death to humans, the other encourages it.

Pit bulls
Why don't people or news reporters tell truth about this breed. Because they weren't bread for fighting they bread for babysitting. I have a blue nose a 7 month old grandson I went to the bathroom and my pit came and got me to tell my grandson was a wake. So they are not bad breeds. Everyone that is assuming that they are bad needs to look up and read about a pit. Most quit assuming. 2600:6C40:6B00:F0C1:BC0B:CF14:C9A0:72D3 (talk) 01:19, 1 July 2023 (UTC)

 * I do believe that APBT are more likely to be aggressive than any other dog breed due to the long line of genetics that were breeding into APBT to be fighting dogs. So they might not be bad dogs but it’s in there genetics to be aggressive. 74.127.205.218 (talk) 02:35, 21 July 2023 (UTC)
 * No dog breed was ever bred for babysitting, let alone APBTs, which were indeed bred for bullbaiting and dogfighting. The idea of a "nanny dog" is laughable to begin with, "pitbulls are nanny dogs" is downright hilarious. 2A02:C7C:6E16:E000:C9E8:5D79:EF5B:B07D (talk) 10:52, 10 October 2023 (UTC)

title: Talk:American Pit Bull Terrier


text:
SAIC Motor

SAIC Motor Corp., Ltd. (formerly Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation) is a Chinese state-owned automobile manufacturer headquartered in Anting, Shanghai. Founded in 1955, it is currently the largest of the "Big Four" state-owned car manufacturers of China ahead of FAW Group, Dongfeng Motor Corporation, and Changan Automobile, with sales of 5.02 million vehicles in 2023.

The company traces its origins to the early years of the Chinese automobile industry in the 1940s, and SAIC was one of the few carmakers in Mao's China, making the Shanghai SH760. Currently, it participates in the oldest surviving sino-foreign automotive joint venture with Volkswagen (SAIC-Volkswagen) since 1984, and in addition operates a joint venture with General Motors (SAIC-GM) since 1998. It also produces and sells vehicles under its own branding, such as IM, Maxus, MG, Rising Auto, and Roewe. It is also the largest shareholder of SAIC-GM-Wuling (SGMW), a joint venture selling Wuling and Baojun branded vehicles. In 2021, SAIC self-owned brands contributes 52% of SAIC's sales.

The company ranked 84th on the Fortune Global 500 list in 2023. Including SGMW, it is also the third largest plug-in electric vehicle (battery electric and plug-in hybrid) company and second largest battery electric vehicle manufacturer in the world, with 10.5% and 13% global market share respectively in 2021.

Origins to 2000
Although it has a long history, originating from an automobile assembly factory established in Shanghai sometime around World War II, SAIC, unlike domestic rivals FAW Group and Dongfeng Motors, has only recently attained a position of prominence in the Chinese vehicle industry. A small company in the 1970s, SAIC owes its rise to more than an increase in domestic demand for passenger vehicles. A cooperative agreement made with Volkswagen in 1984 followed by the formal establishment of Shanghai Volkswagen Automotive Co Ltd in March 1985 allowed it to produce competitive cars with foreign technology. Early success at SAIC may also be a result of guidance provided by local Shanghai authorities; at one time SAIC was simply an extension of the Shanghai Municipal government. For these two reasons and more, SAIC grew swiftly. In the 11 years leading to 1996, annual production capacity increased ten-fold to 300,000 units/year, and the company established itself as one of the leading Chinese automakers.

During this period, SAIC effectively built an entire modern automotive component supply chain in Shanghai from scratch, and the number and quality of locally produced auto parts rose significantly. Cars that were previously assembled in China from knock-down kits provisioned by Volkswagen became products built from parts produced in Shanghai, and between 1990 and 1996 the city more than doubled its contribution to the national output of automotive components. In 1987, the only local parts used in one car, the Volkswagen Santana, were tires, radio, and antenna, but by 1998 over 90% of the components used in its manufacture were locally sourced. A goal set by the Shanghai Municipal government, creation of a local parts industry is an example of the influence that the local government has had on the development of SAIC.

In June 1997, SAIC formed a second major joint venture, Shanghai General Motors Co Ltd, with General Motors. The new joint venture began operations in 1998, and helped to drive a doubling in SAIC's vehicle production between 2000 and 2004. Initially partnering with foreign automakers, creating joint ventures with component suppliers, such as the American Visteon, may now help underpin SAIC success.

2000 to 2010
At the start of the 2000s, SAIC made several acquisitions in Korea. In 2002 it participated in GM's purchase of Korean automaker Daewoo, acquiring a 10% stake in the newly formed GM Daewoo company for US$59.7 million, and in 2004 it also assumed control of an ailing South Korean automaker, SsangYong Motor, paying US$500 million for 48.9% ownership of the company. Around this time SAIC created a new holding company for its subsidiaries employed in passenger car production, Shanghai Automotive Group.

In the middle of the decade, SAIC attempted to acquire the British automaker MG Rover, but in 2005 was outbid by another Chinese automaker, Nanjing Automobile. SAIC did manage to obtain some MG Rover technology that was incorporated into a new line of luxury sedans sold under the Roewe marque, and it subsequently purchased the winning bidder.

While the company saw sales success in the late 2000s, with 2.72 million vehicles sold in 2009, its 2004 purchase of an ownership stake in a Korean SUV-maker, Ssangyong, soured. In January 2009, after an additional US$45 million was provided to it by SAIC, SsangYong Motor Company was placed into receivership in Korea. Courts might have mandated SAIC reduce its ownership, and by 2010 a 51.33% share of the Korean company had become a 10% one. The 2009 Ssangyong failure also saw riot police quell protesting Ssangyong workers who staged a 77-day-long sit in. SAIC may have benefitted from exposure to some technology from Mercedes that Ssangyong controlled during this time.

2010 to present
In 2010, SAIC produced 3.58 million units, the largest output of any China-based automaker that year.

In June 2010, Magneti Marelli and Shanghai Automobile Gear Works (SAGW) officially launched a new joint venture plant in the Jiading district near Shanghai, China. SAGW, the main Chinese manufacturer of transmissions for the automotive sector, is a subsidiary of SAIC Motor.

In February 2011, SAIC unveiled a new commercial vehicles marque, Maxus.

In 2011, SAIC produced 3.97 million vehicles, the largest output of any China-based automaker that year.

In 2012, SAIC retained its top spot among domestic rivals by producing around 3.5 million units.

In July 2023, Audi and SAIC Group announced their partnership that the EV platform from IM Motors will be introduced into Audi's electric models.

Mergers and company name-changes
The present-day SAIC is the product of numerous mergers and corporate re-structurings.

 * In December 1955, Shanghai Internal Combustion Engine Components Company was founded.
 * In March 1958, Shanghai Internal Combustion Engine Components Company and Shanghai Powertrain Equipment Manufacturing Company were merged into Shanghai Powertrain Machinery Manufacturing Company.
 * In January 1960, Shanghai Powertrain Machinery Manufacturing Company was renamed Shanghai Agricultural Machinery Manufacturing Company.
 * In April 1969, Shanghai Agricultural Machinery Manufacturing Company was renamed Shanghai Tractor Industry Company. Shanghai Automobile & Tractor Company was established in July 1984.
 * In March 1990, Shanghai Automobile & Tractor Company was renamed Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation.
 * In September 1995, Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp (Group) was founded.

Brands
SAIC sells vehicles under a variety of brands. Brands that are considered "self-owned" by SAIC include IM, Maxus, MG, Rising Auto, Roewe, Baojun, Wuling, Hongyan, and Sunwin.

IM
SAIC launched a luxury EV brand "IM" (dubbed "Zhiji Motor" in Chinese) jointly developed with Shanghai's Pudong New Area government and Alibaba on January 13, 2021. According to SAIC Motor, "IM" stands for Intelligence in Motion.

MG
MG Motor designs (in UK and Shanghai), develops and markets cars sold under the MG marque while vehicle manufacturing takes place at its factories in China, Thailand, Indonesia and India. MG Motor is the largest importer of Chinese made cars into the United Kingdom.

Rising Auto
Rising Auto (Feifan, 飞凡汽车), formerly R Brand, is an offshoot of SAIC's Roewe brand dedicated to new energy vehicles and intelligent vehicles. Early products are rebadged Roewes with the R7 crossover being the first original product. The upcoming following product is the F7 compact executive sedan.

Roewe
Roewe was introduced by SAIC in 2006. It is sold in most export markets outside China under the MG Motor marque.

Maxus
Maxus was formed in 2011 following the acquisition of LDV Group by SAIC in 2010, and produces MPVs, pickup trucks, and SUVs for both domestic sale and global export.

Wuling/Baojun (SAIC-GM-Wuling)
A joint venture between SAIC, General Motors, and Guangxi Automobile Group (previously Wuling Group) Based in Liuzhou, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, in southwestern China, it makes commercial and consumer vehicles sold in China under the Wuling and Baojun brands. SGMW has recently found great success as an electric vehicle manufacturer — in 2021, the venture's Wuling Hongguang Mini EV city car was the best-selling electric car in China by volume.

Hongyan
SAIC Hongyan was established in January 2003 as Chongqing Hongyan and traces its origins back to a Chinese manufacturer established in 1965. The company is focused on producing heavy trucks.

Sunwin
SAIC Sunwin is a brand specialized in producing passenger buses and trolleybuses.

Nanjing Iveco Auto Co Ltd (New Naveco)
In 2021, SAIC announced an increase in its holdings of Nanjing Iveco (Naveco). SAIC's subsidiary, Nanjing Automobile Group holds a 50% stake, while SAIC itself holds 30.1%, and IVECO S.P.A. holds 19.9%. SAIC's ownership of Naveco has now risen to 80.1%, making the Italian brand a strategic investor.

Joint ventures
SAIC participates in cooperative efforts with foreign automakers that see the products of large international companies such as General Motors and Volkswagen made and sold in China.

SAIC Volkswagen Automotive
A joint venture between SAIC and Volkswagen Group. It was founded in 1984 and produces cars under the Volkswagen, Skoda, and Audi brands.

SAIC General Motors
This joint venture between SAIC and General Motors manufactures and sells Chevrolet, Buick, and Cadillac brand automobiles in Mainland China.

SAIC-Charoen Pokphand
SAIC produces MG Motors vehicles through this joint venture with Charoen Pokphand for their Thailand subsidiary.

Technomous
Established with Austrian technology provider TTTech in 2018 for Intelligent and Autonomous Driving solutions.

UK
On 13 April 2011, vehicle assembly resumed at the MG Motor UK Longbridge plant as the first MG 6 to be produced in the United Kingdom came off the production line, but ended in 2016 when SAIC moved production to China. It retains a technical subsidiary SAIC Motor UK on site.

Philippines
On July 19, 2023, SAIC's Philippines subsidiary SAIC Motor Philippines, Inc. has appointed the new distributor and importer of MG vehicles and services in the country with launch of the all-new 2024 MG4 EV and MG Marvel R for the local market by October 2023. Aside from importation, distribution, and aftersales operations, SMP’s functions also include the management of MG’s dealership network in the Philippines. This is currently composed of 42 authorized dealer locations and the addition of four more dealerships before the close of 2023, and a goal to have 60 MG dealerships running by 2025.

US
In June 2012, SAIC's United States-based subsidiary Shanghai Automotive Industries Corp USA, Inc. opened a new North American Operations Center in Birmingham, Michigan. The opening ceremony was attended by Rick Snyder, Governor of Michigan, Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson, and senior executives from General Motors and SAIC Motor. The 30,000-square-foot, three-story facility will house nearly 100 staff and focus on sourcing components.

Facilities

SAIC has numerous production facilities in China, including sites in: Chongqing, Liuzhou, Qingdao, Shanghai, Shenyang, and Yantai. It also had an assembly plant in the United Kingdom, the Longbridge plant. It also has a plant in Chonburi, Thailand, Cikarang, Indonesia, and Halol, India.

Research and development
SAIC operated a large research and development centre in the United Kingdom, the SAIC Motor UK Technical Centre, which as of 2012 employed around 275 engineers and 25 designers. The UK Technical Centre was the principal site worldwide for the development of MG cars, also playing a major role in the development of Roewe products. However in June 2019, SAIC Motor closed the UK Technical Centre making over 300 engineers redundant in the process.

title: SAIC Motor


text:
Blair Moody

Arthur Edson Blair Moody (February 13, 1902 – July 20, 1954), known as Blair Moody, was a journalist and Democratic U.S. Senator from the state of Michigan.

Background
Moody was born in New Haven, Connecticut, the son of Arthur Edson Blair Moody and Julia Downey Moody. and attended the public schools in Providence, Rhode Island. He graduated from Brown University with a degree in economics in 1922. Moody attended the University of Michigan; he received his A.B. degree in 1949, and his LL.B. degree in 1952. He was an instructor in history at the Moses Brown School, a preparatory school in Providence, in 1922-23.

A solid athlete, Moody lettered in football, baseball and track at Brown. He also was the heavyweight boxing champion at Brown at one time. He was offered a contract by the professional baseball team the St. Louis Cardinals to pitch, but declined.

Journalist
Moody moved to Detroit, Michigan and worked from 1923 to 1951 as a reporter covering Washington, D.C., for the Detroit News, a newspaper owned by his uncle, William Scripps. He was a correspondent for Barron's Financial Weekly from 1934 to 1948 and wrote for the North American Newspaper Alliance and the Bell Syndicate.

Moody was a combat war correspondent in 1944, covering the war in Italy, Africa, the United Kingdom, the Middle East, and Iran. He moderated a radio and television program Meet Your Congress from 1946 to 1952. He was a foreign correspondent during 1947–1948.

Government service
Following the death of U.S. Senator Arthur H. Vandenberg, Moody was appointed by Michigan Governor G. Mennen Williams on April 22, 1951, as a Democrat to the United States Senate. He served from April 23, 1951, to November 4, 1952. Moody was appointed to the Senate Banking and Currency Committee and the Committee on Expenditures in the Executive Departments. In July 1951, he was appointed to chair a subcommittee of Senate Small Business Committee, established to "protect the interests of small business in the defense program." The committee's purview included the perceived problem of steel cutbacks and unemployment in the auto industry. Moody also is remembered for his proposal for presidential debates, an idea that did not take hold until the 1960 Kennedy-Nixon televised debates. An unsuccessful candidate for election in 1952 (to the remainder of the unexpired Senate term), Moody lost to Republican Charles E. Potter in the Dwight D. Eisenhower presidential landslide.

Later years
Moody resumed his newspaper and television career as the host and moderator of the "Meet Your Congress" television show.

Personal life and death
Blair Moody's father Arthur Blair Moody was the son of Mary Blair Moody.

Moody married his first wife Mary Ann in 1930 and they had a son, Blair Jr. They were divorced in 1940 and Blair Sr. married his second wife, Ruth, in 1941; the marriage lasted until his death in 1954. Blair and Ruth Moody had two sons, Christopher and Robin.

From 1946 until 1954, Blair Moody is reported to have had an affair with Helen Knowland, the wife of his friend Republican Senator William Knowland. William Knowland is said to have later begun an affair with Ruth Moody.

Moody died age 52 on July 20, 1954, in Ann Arbor, Michigan, while campaigning for the Democratic nomination for the other U.S. Senate seat from Michigan, of a heart attack following complications of viral pneumonia. He was buried at Woodlawn Cemetery.

Blair Moody Jr. was a Wayne County Circuit Court Judge, and a Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court. Christopher S. Moody was founder and President of Moody & Associates, Inc., a nationwide insurance firm. Robert O. (Robin) Moody is the founder and President of Daedalus Books, the oldest independent bargain book wholesaler in America, established in 1980.

Legacy
An elementary school in Taylor, Michigan, was named for Senator Blair Moody. The school is in its original location with its original name and continues to educate students. A second elementary school was built adjacent to it in the 1960s.

Works
In 1941, Moody authored Boom or Bust, a book charting his post-World War II vision for American democracy. His focus was on transitioning to full employment, reducing the national debt, and identifying a strategy for "how the national budget may actually be balanced."

 * Boom or Bust (1941)

title: Blair Moody


text:
Geely

Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co., Ltd. (ZGH), commonly known as Geely Holding, is a Chinese multinational conglomerate headquartered in Hangzhou, Zhejiang. The company is privately owned by Chinese entrepreneur Li Shufu, and mainly engaged in the automotive industry.

Geely was founded 1986 as a refrigerator parts company, before transitioning to motorcycles in 1994 and entering the automotive industry in 1997. ZGH as a holding company was founded in 2003. , the company ranks 225 in the 2023 Fortune Global 500 list of the world's largest companies. In 2023, the group produced a total of 2.79 million vehicles globally, including 980,000 plug-in electric vehicles.

The company manufactures and sells vehicles under the brands of Geely and Lynk & Co, which are part of the Geely Auto Group business unit, along with its subsidiaries and joint ventures such as Zeekr, Volvo Cars, Polestar, Proton, Smart and Lotus, as well as commercial vehicles under the London EV Company, Radar Auto and Farizon brands. It produces motorcycles under its subsidiaries Zhejiang Geely Ming Industrial (Jiming and Geely), Qianjiang Motorcycle (QJMotor and Keeway), and Benelli. It also holds a 17% stake in Aston Martin and owns half of Horse Powertrain, an engine manufacturing joint venture with Renault.

Geely is a phonetic transliteration of the company's native name 吉利, which means "auspicious" or "propitious" in Chinese.

Overview
Geely entered the automotive industry in 1997, but only officially received national production license in November 2001. Following a restructuring of Geely, ZGH was established as a holding company largely owned by Li Shufu in March 2003. ZGH acquired the Swedish passenger car maker Volvo Cars from Ford Motor Company in 2010. It completed the acquisition of British taxi maker Manganese Bronze Holdings in 2013 and restructured it into London Electric Vehicle Company. In 2017, ZGH acquired a majority stake in British sports carmaker Lotus Cars in 2017.

ZGH's business is divided into five business units: Geely Auto Group which includes the brands Geely Auto, Lynk & Co, and Proton Holdings; Volvo Car Group which includes the brands Volvo Cars and Polestar; Geely New Energy Commercial Vehicle Group which include the brands London Electric Vehicle Company and Yuancheng (Farizon); Geely Group (New Business) which includes the brands Caocao, Terrafugia, Qianjiang Motorcycle, Joma, and other new businesses; and Mitime Group which includes ZGH educational institutions, motorsports business, and tourism business.

Its global operations span the automotive value chain, from research and development and design to production, sales and service.

History
Geely was established in 1986 in Ningbo, Zhejiang by Li Shufu as a refrigerator parts manufacturer located in Taizhou, Zhejiang. To start the company, Li Shufu had to borrow funds from his family. In 1994, Geely transitioned into the motorcycle industry by acquiring a state-run firm, and started producing China's first scooter.

In 1997, Geely completed the construction of relevant factories and initial investment preparations to enter the automobile industry. This made Geely the first private automobile company in China, whereas other carmakers are state-owned enterprises such as Chery. Geely's first car, the Geely Haoqing, rolled off the assembly line in Linhai, Zhejiang on 8 August 1998. However, Geely did not obtain its national production license until 9 November 2001, which delayed mass production until 2002. By 2002, the brand was ranked among the top ten in the Chinese automobile market.

In 2002, Geely was restructured from being a family-operated entity to a joint-stock company managed by professional management. On 24 March 2003, Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co., Ltd. (ZGH) was established with a registered capital of CN¥930 million. In January 2004, Li Shufu bought controlling shares in Guorun Holdings Co., Ltd., a company listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange under the trading code 0175HK. In March 2004, Guorun was renamed Geely Automobile Holdings Limited, a company under ZGH, retaining the same trading code. This strategy was seen as Geely's "backdoor" entry into the Hong Kong stock market, providing a means to raise funds for the company.

In 2006, Geely bought a 19.97 percent equity stake in British company Manganese Bronze Holdings, the manufacturer of London black cabs. Both companies started a GB£53 million joint venture to produce the black cabs in China, with Geely holding 52 percent and the British company 48 percent. The company has since reduced costs by producing parts in China. In February 2013, ZGH fully acquired Manganese Bronze Holdings for GB£11.04 million, after the British company entered administration due to lack of funding. ZGH established a new company under its British subsidiary called The London Taxi Corporation, later renamed London Electric Vehicle Company, to resume assembly of the London black cab in Coventry, UK.

In 2009, Geely bought an Australian transmission company Drivetrain Systems International (DSI), at that time the second largest automatic transmission manufacturer for A$70 million. In 2014, Geely sold 90% of its stake in DSI to multiple other Chinese companies after the company suffered losses.

Purchase of Volvo Cars (2008–2010)
Following continuing losses in that year, Ford Motor Company offered Volvo Cars for sale in December 2008. On 28 October 2009, Ford confirmed that, after considering several offers, the preferred buyer of Volvo Cars was ZGH. On 23 December 2009, Ford confirmed the terms of the sale to ZGH had been settled. A definitive agreement was signed on 28 March 2010 for US$1.8 billion. The European Commission and China's Ministry of Commerce approved the deal on 6 and 29 July 2010, respectively. The deal closed on 2 August 2010 with Geely paying $1.3 billion cash and a $200 million note. At the time of the purchase, is the largest overseas acquisition by a Chinese automaker.

This acquisition facilitated Volvo's recovery and brought significant technological and managerial advancements to Geely. Under Geely ownership, Volvo Cars has developed a new line of 3- and 4-cylinder diesel and petrol engines to replace larger engines. It has also developed a new vehicle platform called the Scalable Product Architecture (SPA). Sales reached 500,000 vehicles in 2015 for the first time in the brand's history, and continued to over 700,000 in 2023. Both company jointly developed engines and platforms, notably the Compact Modular Architecture platform that is used by Volvo, Geely and Lynk & Co vehicles. Improving technical expertise and a sophisticated production management system led to a significant sales surge for Geely from 2010 onwards.

Further acquisitions and brand establishments (2016–present)
In October 2016, Geely Auto released its new brand called Lynk & Co in Berlin, Germany, which is intended to bridge the gap between Geely and Volvo brands. The brand was launched with three production models, all based on the Compact Modular Architecture (CMA). In August 2017, ZGH, Geely Automobile Holdings and Volvo Car Group signed an agreement at Geely Auto's Hangzhou Bay R&D Center to establish the Lynk & Co joint venture. Geely Auto controls 50% of Lynk & Co, Volvo Cars held 30%, and ZGH held the remaining 20%.

In May 2017, ZGH purchased a 51% controlling-stake in Lotus Cars from its owner, DRB-HICOM, the largest shareholder of Malaysian carmaker Proton Holdings. The remaining 49% were acquired by Etika Automotive, a holding company of Proton's major shareholder Syed Mokhtar Albukhary. Proton had owned Lotus since 1996, and largely struggled to turn the fortunes of the sports car maker around. ZGH also purchased a 49.9% stake in Proton Holdings, which was agreed on 23 June 2017 and finalised on 29 September 2017. The purchase was seen to facilitate future export growth in right-hand drive markets, and making inroads into the lucrative ASEAN region. Proton confirmed that it would not downsize its workforce following its deal with Geely.

In July 2017, the company purchased Terrafugia, an American maker of flying cars. In November 2017, ZGH announced completion of the Terrafugia acquisition, including approval from all relevant regulators.

In October 2017, Volvo Cars and ZGH announced that Polestar, a performance and tuning brand owned by Volvo Cars, would become a standalone brand focusing on electric cars. Polestar introduced its first product, the Polestar 1 coupé on 17 October 2017. The car was produced at the Polestar Production Centre in Chengdu, China. Following an initial public offering, Polestar shares began trading on the Nasdaq exchange under the symbol PSNY on 24 June 2022.

In December 2017, ZGH invested €3.25billion into Swedish truck and construction company Volvo Group, a former parent company of Volvo Cars. The deal made ZGH the biggest shareholder by number of shares with an 8.2% stake, and second by voting rights, with 15.6%.

In September 2019, ZGH led a round of private funding for Volocopter that raised $55million for the company. Volocopter's other private investors also include Daimler AG which owns a stake in the company.

In late July 2020, it was announced that the Xingma Group had agreed to transfer a 15.2% stake of its shares in the Ma'anshan-based heavy truck manufacturer Hualing Xingma to Geely New Energy Commercial Vehicle Group, a wholly owned subsidiary of ZGH. After the transaction, Geely New Energy Commercial Vehicle Group would become the de facto controlling shareholder of Hualing Xingma.

In February 2020, Volvo Cars and Geely started formal discussions about a proposed merger of both businesses. In the existing arrangement, Volvo Cars has been allowed autonomy with its resources despite being fully owned by ZGH. These merger talks were later halted, and 18% of Volvo Cars shares were listed on the Nasdaq Stockholm stock exchange in October 2021.

InMarch 2021, ZGH launched the Zeekr brand for premium electric vehicles. Its first model, the Zeekr 001 was launched in April 2021, and deliveries began in October 2021. In May 2024, Zeekr filed its initial public offering (IPO) on the New York Stock Exchange. Zeekr raised around US$441 million, making it the largest IPO of a Chinese company since 2021.

In February 2024, Volvo Cars announced its plan to reduce its stake in Polestar by the third quarter of 2024 from currently 48.3% to around 18% by ceding it to ZGH.

Shareholding and partnerships with Daimler/Mercedes-Benz (2018–present)
In 2018, Li Shufu through his investment company Tenaciou3 Prospect Investment Limited purchased a 9.7% stake in Daimler AG (currently Mercedes-Benz AG), owner of the Mercedes-Benz and Smart brands. , Li Shufu is the second largest Mercedes-Benz AG shareholder after BAIC Group.

In January 2020, ZGH and Daimler AG announced a 50-50 joint venture to develop and operate the Smart brand as a global electric vehicle brand. The venture, later named Smart Automobile Co., Ltd. is headquartered in Ningbo, Zhejiang. It has a registered capital of CN¥5.4 billion, with each company contributing CN¥2.7 billion. The new all-electric Smart model from this joint venture was launched globally in 2022 as the Smart #1, previously showcased as the Concept #1 at the 2021 Munich Motor Show. Smart electric vehicles from the partnership are based on the Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA) electric vehicle platform developed by Geely.

Renault partnerships (2021–present)
In August 2021, ZGH through its subsidiary Geely Auto formed a strategic partnership with Renault. In January 2022, the two companies signed an agreement by which Renault's South Korean subsidiary, Renault Korea Motors, would produce vehicles based on Geely Compact Modular Architecture platform, initially intended for the domestic market. , production was slated to start by 2024. In May 2022, Renault said a Geely subsidiary was set to acquire a 34% stake of Renault Korea Motors through capital increase as part of their partnership, although the company would continue to be majority owned by Renault and a consolidated subsidiary of it. In November 2022, Renault said it plans to combine its powertrain production and development operations (including internal combustion engines and hybrid systems) with Geely's into a joint venture holding company with both as co-owners. The joint venture was officially established in late May 2024 as Horse Powertrain Limited, headquartered in London, United Kingdom.

Baidu partnership (2021–present)
In January 2021, ZGH announced a deal to create an electric vehicle joint venture together with Baidu, a Chinese multinational technology company specializing in Internet-related services, products, and artificial intelligence (AI). Baidu would develop the electric car's software while Geely would manufacture the car. The companies formed Jidu Auto in the same year, combining elements of both company names. Later, in August 2023, they launched the Ji Yue brand, with Geely owning 65% and Baidu 35%. Ji Yue is a subsidiary of Geely Group that was formed to circumvent restrictions on car manufacturing qualifications. Jidu Auto now focuses on technology solutions, including product design and AI development, for Ji Yue vehicles.

Geely
Geely Auto is Geely Group's original and mainstream brand, primarily sold in China and select overseas markets. It has two electric vehicle product line, the Geely Geometry for entry-level EV and Geely Galaxy for premium EV/PHEV.

Lynk & Co
Lynk & Co is a Chinese–Swedish joint venture brand that was formed in 2017. It is owned 50% by Geely Auto, 30% by Volvo Cars, and 20% by ZGH, and uses technology developed jointly by Volvo Cars and Geely Auto.

Polestar
Polestar is a publicly traded electric car brand established in Sweden under the Volvo Cars Group. Polestar was initially 50.5% owned by ZGH and 49.5% by Volvo Cars.

Zeekr
Zeekr is a premium battery electric vehicle brand of ZGH partly owned by Geely Automobile Holdings. The brand was founded in 2021 as an offshoot of Lynk & Co, as its first vehicles were meant to be Lynk & Co models. The company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange since May 2024.

Livan/Maple
The Maple brand name originated with Shanghai Maple Automobile, a Geely subsidiary established in 1999 and phased out in 2010. The brand was temporarily revived in 2020 by launching its first EV, the Maple 30X. In 2022, Geely launched the joint venture between Lifan and Maple called Livan, and the previous Maple products were reconsolidated into Livan.

Lotus
Lotus Cars is a British carmaker established in 1948 that produces sports and racing car. It is owned 51% by ZGH since 2017, while the rest is owned by Etika Automotive.

Volvo Cars
Volvo Cars is owned 78.7% by ZGH (post Volvo Cars IPO). ZGH acquired Volvo Cars from Ford Motor Company in 2010.

Farizon
Yuancheng Auto or Farizon Auto was formed in 2016 to focus on the development and sales of commercial vehicles in China and has launched several long-range capable truck and bus solutions. The company raised over $300 million in a Pre-A Round in October 2022 led by GLP's investment arm Hidden Hill Capital, and $600 million in a Series A funding round in July 2023, led by Boyu Capital and Yuexiu Industrial Fund. The factory was later acquired by the Chinese electric commercial vehicle company Yuancheng Auto, which in conjunction with Myoung Shin. The company plans to manufacture CKD-made electric trucks for the China market.

Products include:
 * Farizon C8E/ C10E/ C12E – city buses
 * Farizon U11E/ U11F – tour buses
 * Farizon Xinghan G – electric and hydrogen heavy duty trucks
 * Farizon Xingzhi H8E – light duty truck
 * Farizon Xingzhi H8M – light duty truck

 * Farizon Supervan – van

 * Farizon E5 – electric cargo and panel vans
 * Farizon E5L – electric cargo and panel vans
 * Farizon E6 – electric cargo and panel vans
 * Farizon Xingxiang V series – electric cargo and panel vans
 * Farizon Xingxiang V6E – micro van
 * Farizon Xingxiang V6E Plus – micro van
 * Farizon Xingxiang F1E – micro truck
 * Farizon Fengrui series – light trucks and micro trucks
 * Farizon Fengrui V5E – electric truck
 * Farizon Fengrui F3E – electric truck
 * Farizon Fengrui E200S – light truck
 * Farizon Fengrui E200X – medium-duty truck
 * Farizon Fengrui E200 – medium-duty truck

Radar Auto
Radar Auto is a battery electric pick-up truck brand owned by ZGH. The brand's first vehicle, the Radar RD6, was unveiled in 2022. The Radar name stands for Rational, Alone, Discovery, Accompany, and Romantic.

LEVC
London Electric Vehicle Company (LEVC) is a brand owned by ZGH that produces and sells electric black cabs. It adopted its current name in 2017 to reflect its new mission of developing and producing electric commercial vehicles. It was previously known as The London Taxi Company, which has roots from Manganese Bronze Holdings, the original manufacturer of black cabs that Geely acquired in 2013. With a new factory in Ansty Park, near Coventry, it has begun production of a new generation of zero-emission-capable new taxi vehicle in late 2017.

Ji Yue / Jidu Auto
Jidu Auto is a joint venture between ZGH and Baidu that would be engaged in the production of electric vehicles in different segments starting in 2022. Jidu Auto is owned 55% by Baidu and 45% by Geely.

The Ji Yue brand was established in August 2023 as the second collaboration between ZGH and Baidu. Ji Yue is 65% owned by ZGH and 35% by Baidu, making it a subsidiary of ZGH. Due to Chinese government policies, Baidu as the controlling company of Jidu, could not obtain the qualification to manufacture cars. Establishing Ji Yue allowed ZGH to be the controlling company, circumventing these restrictions. Jidu Auto has since become a technology solutions company focused on developing AI driving technology for Ji Yue and will no longer operate as an independent car brand. With the launch of the new Ji Yue brand, the previous Jidu Robo-01 was renamed Ji Yue 01, and the Ji Yue brand inherited the logo originally created for Jidu Auto.

Proton
Proton is a national car brand of Malaysia, established in the 1980s at the behest of the government and later reverted to private ownership under DRB-HICOM. Since 2017, the brand is owned 49.9% by ZGH and 50.1% by DRB-HICOM. Its first Geely-based vehicle, also the carmaker's first-ever SUV, the Proton X70 was introduced in Malaysia in December 2018. It is based on first-generation Geely Boyue.

In July 2023, after the internal restructuring in Geely Group, the Proton brand was consolidated into the balance sheets of Geely Group.

Smart
In 2020, Mercedes-Benz and ZGH established the Smart brand as a global joint venture, targeting at producing battery electric vehicles in China and selling it globally. In 2022, the joint venture launched its first model Smart #1.

Qianjiang Motorcycle
Qianjiang Motorcycle is one of the largest manufacturers of two-wheeled vehicles in China. Since September 2016, the majority shareholding (29.8%) of the company has been controlled by the Geely Group. The vehicles are sold under four brands: QJiang, QJMotor, Benelli, Keeway Motors and KSR Moto.

Benelli
Benelli is a subsidiary that produces motorcycles and scooters. Design, development and marketing activities are carried out at the Benelli QJ headquarters in Pesaro, Italy, with production occurring in Wenling, China, for sale globally.

Discontinued brands

 * Emgrand

 * Englon

 * Gleagle

 * Zhidou
 * Geely Motorcycles / Geely Ming Industrial

International investments and holdings
Mercedes-Benz Group (9.69% stake)

 * Li Shufu, the founder and chairman of Geely, acquired a 9.69% stake of Mercedes-Benz Group in February 2018, making it the company's largest single shareholder.

Aston Martin (17% stake)

 * In September 2022, Geely acquired a 7.6% stake in Aston Martin Lagonda.
 * In May 2023, Geely increased its stake to 17%, becoming the third-largest shareholder after the Yew Tree consortium and the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund.

Volvo Group (6.8% stake)

 * In 2017, Geely acquired an 8.2% stake of Volvo AB, which is also about 15% of votes.
 * In January 2024, Geely announced to reduce its holdings in Volvo Group by 685 million USD. The stake has been lowered from 8.2% to 6.8%. Despite the reduction, Geely remains the second-largest shareholder in Volvo Group.

Renault Korea (34.02% stake)

 * In 2022, Geely invested over US$200 million to acquire a 34.02% stake in a joint venture in South Korea between Renault and the Samsung Group. The company plans to produce vehicles based on the Geely's Compact Modular Architecture platform, initially intended for the Korean domestic market.

Horse (50% stake)

Drivetrain Systems International (divested)
 * A joint venture between Renault and Geely, it is set to manufacture internal combustion engined (ICE) and hybrid powertrains for Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi vehicle with Geely's technology.

 * In 2009, Geely bought Drivetrain Systems International Pty Ltd, a global transmission developer headquartered in Australia.
 * In 2015, Geely sold DSI to a Chinese investment company Shuanglin, which continue to manufacture the DSI designed products in Xiangtan, Jining and Ninghai.

Geely Technology Group

 * CAOCAO – CAOCAO ride-hailing service was developed by Hangzhou YouXing Technology Company and majority owned by ZGH. It is the first Chinese new energy focused mobility service.
 * Terrafugia – Terrafugia was founded in 2006 targeting at roadable aircraft. The company was acquired in full by ZGH in 2017.
 * Zhejiang Qianjiang Motorcycle Group Co – Qianjiang Motorcycle (钱江摩托) was majority acquired by ZGH in 2016. The company is one of the largest producers of motorcycles in China and owns several renowned brands including Italy's Benelli. It is also known for its lithium battery technology.
 * Geespace plans to create a network of low earth orbit satellites that will send precise positioning information to self-driving cars.

Mitime Group
Mitime Group was established in 2004 and is affiliated to ZGH. It focuses on investment and operation management of higher education, sports, cultural tourism and other businesses. The group consists of three departments: Mitime Speedpark, Mitime Sports and Mitime Cultural Tourism.

 * Mitime Speedpark – Investment and development of motor speedparks around the world. They have already constructed multiple race circuits in China and abroad and currently operate tracks in Ningbo, Chengdu, and North America.
 * Mitime Motorsports – Mitime constructs and operates race tracks for automobiles, motorcycles, and karts around the world. Mitime also organizes motorsport events such as China F4 Championship.
 * Mitime Tourism – Mitime facilitates tourism and manages hospitality services around its tracks.

Meizu
In June 2022, Geely acquired a majority stake of Meizu, a Chinese consumer electronics manufacturer based in Zhuhai, Guangdong.

Geely Talent Development Group
Previously known as Mitime Education, a subsidary of Mitime Group, the Geely Talent Development Group is the education branch of Geely to cultivate talents for the automotive industry. Geely has established 9 higher education institutions and more than 10,000 student graduate from Geely's schools each year.
 * Geely University – a private university located in Chengdu
 * University of Sanya – a private university located in Hainan

 * Beijing Geely University – a private university located in Beijing
 * Xiangtan Institute of Technology
 * Zhejiang Automobile Vocational and Technical College
 * Hunan Geely Automobile Vocations and Technical College

Vehicle platforms
Many of Geely's subsidiaries produce vehicles using shared architectures. Some examples include:
 * Volvo Scalable Product Architecture platform (SPA) - 2014–present
 * Compact Modular Architecture platform (CMA) - 2017–present
 * B-segment Modular Architecture platform (BMA) - 2018–present
 * Sustainable Experience Architecture platform (SEA) - 2021–present

Production facilities

Headquartered in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, Geely has production bases in Lanzhou, Gansu (completed in 2006, Geely construction in the region continued as of August 2010 either for expanding the existing facility or for a new semi-complete knock-down factory); Xiangtan, Hunan; an unnamed location 40 minutes south of Shanghai; Jinan, Shandong; and at Linhai, Luqiao, and Ningbo in Zhejiang.

There are overseas factories assemble Geely models probably from semi-complete or complete knock-down kits. Such facilities are or have been located in Indonesia, Sri Lanka (in collaboration with Micro Cars), Malaysia, Russia (assembly controlled by local firm Derways), Belarus (BelGee), Azerbaijan (NAZ), Tunisia, and Ukraine. These locations are not necessarily affiliated with or owned by Geely.

title: Geely