Laos coup plot - CIA connection?

Yesterday I diaried American mercenary coup attempt in Laos? More details are coming out, and this is getting bigger and even more interesting.

The Sacramento Bee has the most detailed story.

Jack met with the undercover ATF agent several times to discuss weapons procurement, and his Hmong backers had budgeted $9.8 million for arms, the complaint alleges.

"Jack" is alleged conspirator Harrison Jack, who was trying to arrange the arms deal for the Laotian  plotters.  Yesterday I wrote that I didn't believe this was a serious plot, guess that was premature. If they really had $10M, that's serious. Where'd all that money come from?

The money was to come from "contributions from community leaders through the (Hmong) clan leadership.

Which explains why several of the accused are leaders of Hmong community organizations. Did these groups raise coup money, or did the leaders steal it? A wise man once said "Follow the money", and there is sure to be more coming out about this.

But the Bee doesn't mention the really interesting part. From  today's SF Chronicle:

Jack quoted Lo Cha Thao as saying that "the CIA was preparing to assist the Hmong insurgency once the takeover of Laos had begun."

I remembered the Hmong-CIA connection when I wrote this yesterday, but didn't want to go there; that's tinfoil hat land. But it's a fact that ringleader Vang Pao "commanded CIA operatives fighting communists during the Vietnam War." I don't believe the CIA is involved in this; I'm guessing that Gen. Vang Pao told it to his men and they believed it. But because of the historical connection, it isn't quite impossible...