Posted on 03/31/2006 11:16:26 PM PST by Wiz
IRBIL, North Iraq, March 30 (KUNA) -- A Kurdish official on Thursday disclosed "substantial smuggling operations" of the Iraqi crude oil via a border gateway in northern Iraq and warned terrorists were involved in illegal oil sales.
Daoud Al-Baghestani, in charge of the so-called "integrity authority," said at a news conference that returns from illegal sales of the crude "have become a major resource of income for the terrorists." The northern Rabiaa border passageway has been witnessing many smuggling and illegal transactions of crude sales, Al-Baghestani said, adding that his authority, several days ago, found that drivers of 1,200 trucks passing through the border exist carried false papers.
"Clandestine gangs in some states ... have been using the earnings made from the illegal sales of the Iraqi crude for supporting terrorism and the funds that belong to the Iraqi people have been embezzled by the terrorists," the Kurdish official added, without specifying the states where the oil mafias have been secretly operating in the illegal transactions.
(Excerpt) Read more at kuna.net.kw ...
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