Le Monde picks up an Iraqi newspaper report which lists those who benefited with contracts for Iraqi oil under the UN’s Oil for Palaces programme.
Les documents proviennent de la SOMO (State Oil Marketing Organisation), société de commercialisation du pétrole rattachée au ministère du pétrole.
Georges Gallaway, ancien député travailliste aux Communes, figure en bonne
place dans la liste. Son nom est mentionné dans six contrats et le journal
publie une lettre de la SOMO en date du 31 décembre 1999, signée par Saddam
Zbin, cousin de Saddam Hussein qui gérait cette société et dans laquelle il
demande au ministère du pétrole de lui accorder des contrats. Apparemment, ce parlementaire britannique a été particulièrement bien traité. Mais il n’est pas
le seul.
Voila, as they might be saying at the Daily Telegraph?
There are at least 11 French names, including Gaullist former French Interior Minister Charles Pasqua on the list of more than 270 foreigners published by al-Mada.
This BBC report has Pasqua denying the story but oddly doesn’t mention the British MP.
Of course I have no way of verifying the authenticity of the list published by the Iraqi newspaper and referred to by Le Monde and in posting a link and excerpt from that article I take no responsibilty for the claims and am in no way suggesting that I know these claims to be true.
I merely offer the opportunity for readers of this weblog to digest the information provided by the respected French newspaper. Information which could be yet another shameful attempt to smear the reputation of the witchunted former Labour MP and pro-Saddam arsehole.
