Chiquita paid rebel groups

Cincinnati Enquirer ^ | 5/11/04 | Cliff Peale

[The G Man]

Chiquita paid rebel groups

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Company told feds of Colombia payoffs

By Cliff Peale
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Chiquita Brands International Inc. said Monday the Justice Department is investigating payments the company made to Colombian terrorist groups in response to threats against its workers.

Cincinnati-based Chiquita, the world's largest banana company, said it voluntarily informed the Justice Department in April 2003 that it made the payments over an undisclosed period of time.

Chiquita said the Justice Department was contacted after the company discovered the groups were listed on the State Department's Foreign Terrorist Organizations list. The list names 37 organizations, including al-Qaida as well as three groups in Colombia.

A Justice Department spokesman declined Monday to comment on the investigation. U.S. law makes it a crime to knowingly provide resources to terrorist organizations.

Chiquita would not say when the payments started or stopped, to whom they were made or how much was paid. But in its disclosure Monday, the company said the government's initial investigation has expanded to include "the role and conduct of the company and some of its officers."

SNIP

[The G Man]

Up until a couple of years ago, Chiquita was controlled by Cincinnati's Lindner family ... bigtime GOP donors. This could be problematic.

[meenie]

Business as usual is not a disqualifier. We provide millions to the Palestinians which wind up in terrorist hands. China receives free trade favoritism while burning churches and imprisoning christians across the land.

[Jimmy Valentine]

*Sigh* In the old days when Chiquita was actually United Fruit, they never paid off anybody. They sent in their army ("bannana cowboys") to square away trouble makers.

regards,