Kmart Clothes Bought From Chinese Army?

Milpitas, Calif., human rights activist Harry Wu stormed Kmart’s annual shareholders meeting Tuesday and blasted one of the nation’s largest retailers for supposedly stocking its shelves with tons of plastic rain gear and ponchos made by a company owned by the People’s Liberation Army of China.

The activist endured nine weeks of imprisonment in China in 1995 while trying to document human-rights abuses.

Wu charged Kmart with purchasing 73 tons of men’s rain gear in August, September and October 1996 from China Tiancheng. The U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency says that company is owned by the General Political Department of the People Liberation’s Army, which operates the military’s secret police, Wu said.

Kmart spokeswoman Mary Lorencz said the company will investigate Wu’s charges.