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Posted on 01/29/2004 6:52:20 PM PST by Pikamax
Saddam’s Gifts Document: Saddam Supporters Received Lucrative Oil Contracts By Brian Ross ABCNEWS.com Jan. 29— ABCNEWS has obtained an extraordinary list that contains the names of prominent people around the world who supported Saddam Hussein's regime and were given oil contracts as a result.
All of the contracts were awarded from late 1997 until the U.S.-led war in March 2003. They were conducted under the aegis of the United Nations' oil-for-food program, which was designed to allow Iraq to sell oil in exchange for humanitarian goods. The document was discovered several weeks ago in the files of the Iraqi Oil Ministry in Baghdad.
According to a copy obtained by ABCNEWS, some 270 prominent individuals, political parties or corporations in 47 countries were on a list of those given Iraq oil contracts instantly worth millions of dollars.
Today, the U.S.Treasury Department said that any American citizens found to be illegally involved could face prosecution.
"You are looking at a political slush fund that was buying political support for the regime of Saddam Hussein for the last six or seven years," said financial investigator John Fawcett.
Investigators say none of the people involved would have actually taken possession of oil, but rather just the right to buy the oil at a discounted price, which could be resold to a legitimate broker or oil company, at an average profit of about 50 cents a barrel.
List Includes Prominent Names
Among those named: Indonesia President Megawati Sukarnoputri, an outspoken opponent of U.S.-Iraq policy, who received a contract for 10 million barrels of oil — about a $5 million profit.
The son of the Syrian defense minister received 6 million barrels, according to the document, worth about $3 million.
George Galloway, a British member of Parliament, was also on the list to receive 19 million barrels of oil, a $90.5 million profit. A vocal critic of the Iraq war, Galloway denied any involvement to ABCNEWS earlier this year.
"I've never seen a bottle of oil, owned one or bought one," Galloway said in a previous interview with ABCNEWS.
According to the document, France was the second-largest beneficiary, with tens of millions of barrels awarded to Patrick Maugein, a close political associate and financial backer of French President Jacques Chirac.
Maugein, individually and through companies connected to him, received contracts for some 36 million barrels. Chirac's office said it was unaware of Maugein's deals, which Maugein told ABCNEWS are perfectly legal.
The single biggest set of contracts were given to the Russian government and Russian political figures, more than 1.3 billion barrels in all — including 92 million barrels to individual officials in the office of President Vladimir Putin.
Another 1 million barrels were contracted to the Russian ambassador to Baghdad, 137 million barrels of oil were given to the Russian Communist Party, and 5 million barrels were contracted to the Russian Orthodox Church.
Also on the list are the names of prominent journalists, two Iraqi-Americans, and a French priest who organized a meeting between the pope and Tariq Aziz, Saddam's deputy prime minister.
The following are the names of some of those who, according to the document, received Iraqi oil contracts (amounts are in millions of barrels of oil):
Russia The Companies of the Russian Communist Party: 137 million The Companies of the Liberal Democratic Party: 79.8 million The Russian Committee for Solidarity with Iraq: 6.5 million and 12.5 million (2 separate contracts) Head of the Russian Presidential Cabinet: 90 million The Russian Orthodox Church: 5 million
France Charles Pasqua, former minister of interior: 12 million Trafigura (Patrick Maugein), businessman: 25 million Ibex: 47.2 million Bernard Merimee, former French ambassador to the United Nations: 3 million Michel Grimard, founder of the French-Iraqi Export Club: 17.1 million
Syria Firas Mostafa Tlass, son of Syria's defense minister: 6 million
Turkey Zeynel Abidin Erdem: more than 27 million Lotfy Doghan: more than 11 million
Indonesia Megawati Sukarnoputri: 11 million
Spain Ali Ballout, Lebanese journalist: 8.8 million
Yugoslavia The Socialist Party: 22 million Kostunica's Party: 6 million
Canada Arthur Millholland, president and CEO of Oilexco: 9.5 million
Italy Father Benjamin, a French Catholic priest who arranged a meeting between the pope and Tariq Aziz: 4.5 million Roberto Frimigoni: 24.5 million
United States Samir Vincent: 7 million Shakir Alkhalaji: 10.5 million
United Kingdom George Galloway, member of Parliament: 19 million Mujaheddin Khalq: 36.5 million
South Africa Tokyo Saxwale: 4 million
Jordan Shaker bin Zaid: 6.5 million The Jordanian Ministry of Energy: 5 million Fawaz Zureikat: 6 million Toujan Al Faisal, former member of Parliament: 3 million
Lebanon The son of President Lahoud: 5.5 million
Egypt Khaled Abdel Nasser: 16.5 million Emad Al Galda, businessman and Parliament member: 14 million
Palestinian Territories The Palestinian Liberation Organization: 4 million Abu Al Abbas: 11.5 million
Qatar Hamad bin Ali Al Thany: 14 million
Libya Prime Minister Shukri Ghanem: 1 million
Chad Foreign minister of Chad: 3 million
Brazil The October 8th Movement: 4.5 million
Myanmar (Burma) The minister of the Forests of Myanmar: 5 million
Ukraine The Social Democratic Party: 8.5 million The Communist Party: 6 million The Socialist Party: 2 million The FTD oil company: 2 million
By their complicity in this "oil for blood" deal I have strong suspicion about the possibility of their more direct involvement in 9/11.
KNEW there would be a connection to the Clinton's. And bet that is not the only one.
Let's see, how much did he donate to the Clinton's political nest egg?
Where are the sources for this info; wondering how complete it is. . .
Of course, we will hear, just like Galloway. . .it's a lie; forgery. . .whatever; but this stuff needs to get out there and dealt with, now.
Calls out to Rush, O'Reilly, Hannity. . .Fox and Friends! Okay, Geraldo, are you ready for this? Katie? Bryan? Oh, I forgot. . .Dennis Miller. . .take this on!
Succinctly said. This should -- but probably won't -- be the biggest news story of the week.
GW is absolutely correct. The US does NOT need a permission slip to defend itself.
News on the external activities of the Pyongyang Mission, April 21, 2002:
The Pyongyang Mission of the NDFSK met with the political parties of different countries that visited Pyongyang to commemorate the 90th birth anniversary of great leader Kim Il Sung and had talks to further develop the bilateral relations of friendship and cooperation.
The Mission invited the delegations of the US Workers World Party led by Deirdre Griswold Staff, member of the secretariat of the national committee, the US Socialist Workers Party led by Steven Palmer Clark, member of the political bureau, the October 8th Revolutionary Movement of Brazil led by its secretary general Claudio Campos and Andy Brooks, secretary general of the New Communist Party of Britain and held talks with them in between 22 to 25 April.
Continues on in same vein. Seems that Hussein took care of his socialist and communist buddies.
Cannot begin to imagine the money trail traveled for some of the beneficiaries. . .many with unknown mailboxes.
The Palestinian Liberation Organization: 4 million
Abu Al Abbas: 11.5 million " /I guess no link to terrorists? /]
Bump for Abu!
Bump
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