Second UN official 'linked to Saddam pay-off'

[emad]

Telegraph
By Charles Laurence in New York and Philip Sherwell in Washington
(Filed: 23/01/2005)

American prosecutors are investigating claims that a second senior United Nations official involved in the oil-for-food scheme may have been paid off by Saddam Hussein after an Iraqi-born American businessman struck a plea-bargain deal last week.

The testimony of Samir Vincent, who pleaded guilty to acting as a covert agent for Baghdad, indicates that Saddam's manipulation of the scheme began at its inception in 1996.

Attention has previously focused on how, from 1998, Iraq skimmed off proceeds from the programme and issued vouchers for oil sales to its foreign supporters. In his testimony, however, Vincent, 64, detailed links with the Iraqi regime dating back to 1992.

He made the claim that a UN official, who has not yet been named publicly, received cash payments from iraq in 1996 in his statement submitted as a "co-operating witness" to the United States federal court in Manhattan. A copy of the papers has been obtained by The Telegraph.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml;sessionid=CLYCRP5XYTYRTQFIQMGSM5WAVCBQWJVC?xml=/news/2005/01/23/woil23.xml&sSheet=/portal/2005/01/23/ixportal.html&secureRefresh=true&_requestid=64537

[sweetbutterfly]

1. Crooks

When are we going to realize the U.N. is run by thieves and thugs? I hope the tsunami aid is not being stolen by them as we speak!

[Just Me]

2. The UN is under attack by the corrupt, corporate neoCONimperialists!!!

I, for one, refuse to fall into that fascist trap of identifying scapegoats!!!

The UN is an extremely important body to the world community. It is no less nor more perfect than the "states" (including the "United/Divided States") of which it is composed.

[Spazito]

3. I worry more about the missing roughly $5 billion in Iraq ...

that were under the control of the US after the illegal invasion and occupation but that's just me.

Iraq audit can't find billions
Gaps found in spending for reconstruction

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2004/10/16/iraq_audit_cant_find_billions?mode=PF

The US calling the UN thieves is ridiculous to say the least.

[Liberal Veteran]

5. Yeah..we need some peaceful and honorable people in the UN.

Like the US perhaps? They would never do anything that wasn't completely honest and above board.

:eyes:

[UL_Approved]

4. Anybody up for a game of "go fish"?

Looks like the secret tribunal is up and running.

They need Steve Erwin to come in as a prosecution witness. This is one Kangaroo Court that needs to be tamed...:bounce:

[struggle4progress]

6. Jack Kemp Questioned by FBI in Oil-for-Food Probe

On the Big Story with John Gibson that aired Friday January 21, 2005, host Gibson spoke with Judge Andrew Napolitano, FOX News Senior Judicial Analyst, about the fact that Jack Kemp, noted conservative Republican, was questioned by the FBI as part of the widening Justice Department probe into the Oil-for-Food scandal. Kemp and former President Jimmy Carter were both named by recently convicted influence-peddler, Samir Vincent. Former President Carter - an outspoken opponent of the sanctions on Iraq - had only one or two very brief contacts with Mr. Vincent, a fact that was not brought out in the conversation between Gibson and Napolitano.

In fact Napolitano deliberately implied - good lawyer that he is - that Kemp and Carter have the same possibility of guilt. Kemp had monthly contact with Vincent over a long period of time whereas Jimmy Carter’s involvement was minimal at best. To me, this is another example of FOX News’ deliberately omitting crucial exculpatory information in order to “balance” the story to appear less damaging to the Republican, in this case, Jack Kemp.

It has been my contention all along that the voluminous coverage of the Oil-for-Food scandal by the reactionary media, coupled with the Senate hearings headed by by Sen. Norm Coleman, were part of a pre-emptive strike, carefully crafted and timed to soften the impact on conservative voters when it was revealed that prominent American individuals and companies were deeply involved in the Oil-for-Food scheme. Among the U.S. oil companies possibly implicated are ExxonMobil, ChevronTexaco, oil refiner Bayoil and oil field equipment supplier. They have been subpoenaed by federal prosecutors, along with the largest U.S. buyer of Iraqi oil, Houston businessman Oscar Wyatt and his former company, Coastal Oil, now owned by El Paso Inc. At one point, while still incontact with Mr. Vincent, Jack Kemp approached Colin Powell and Dick Cheney.

http://www.newshounds.us/2005/01/23/jack_kemp_questioned_by_fbi_in_oilforfood_probe.php