report on programme manipulation - Independent Inquiry Committee

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INDEPENDENT INQUIRY COMMITTEE INTO THE UNITED NATIONS OIL-FOR-FOOD PROGRAMME REPORT ON PROGRAMME MANIPULATION CHAPTER TWO OIL TRANSACTIONS AND ILLICIT PAYMENTS According to Mr. Galloway, the Mariam Appeal records were sent to Amman and Baghdad in 2001 and could not be located. Bank and other records show that following its establishment in 1998, the Mariam Appeal received three large donations totaling over £1 million, including £500,000 from the United Arab Emirates, over £100,000 from Saudi Arabia, and at least £434,000 from Mr. Zureikat. The Mariam Appeal also received a donation of £6,750 from Neste Oil, which later became Fortum Oil and Gas Oy (“Fortum”). Neste Oil’s donation was made following the purchase of oil in a transaction facilitated by Mr. Al-Chalabi, an Iraqi businessman based in the United Kingdom and an early supporter of the Mariam Appeal. The only other donations received by the Mariam Appeal were small amounts from various individuals. 143 2. Oil Allocations and Contracts Ministry of Oil records show that from Phases VIII through XIII, a total of 18 million barrels of oil were allocated to Mr. Galloway, either directly or indirectly through Mr. Zureikat, and nearly two-thirds of the oil was lifted. According to Iraqi officials, oil allocations were granted to fund Mr. Galloway’s anti-sanctions activities. Iraqi officials identified Mr. Zureikat as acting on Mr. Galloway’s behalf to conduct the oil transactions in Baghdad. 144 argued that sanctions against Iraq were responsible for chronic malnutrition, disease, and lack of adequate healthcare, as well as the deaths of 6,000 children monthly. United Kingdom Parliament record, Hansard, Columns 874 and 875 (Mar. 27, 1998), Columns 250 and 253 (June 29, 1999), Column 708 (Nov. 3, 1998). In other parliamentary speeches, Mr. Galloway argued that the lifting of sanctions would lead to business opportunities in Iraq; he claimed that the United Nations Special Commission (“UNSCOM”) was an American tool working with Israeli intelligence; he called Richard Butler, the head of UNSCOM, a “congenital liar and a provocateur”; he referred to problems with missing Iraqi paperwork for UNSCOM inspectors as a “ridiculous squall”; he described Iraqi opposition parties as terrorists and British support for them illegal; and he attacked the legitimacy and purpose of the no-fly zones, designed to protect the southern Shi’ite and northern Kurdish areas from Iraqi government attacks. United Kingdom Parliament record, Hansard, Column 725 (Dec. 13, 1993), Column 940 (Feb. 17, 1998), Column 707 (Nov. 3, 1998), Columns 152 to 157 (Nov. 25, 1998), pt. 9 (Dec. 17, 1998), Column 82WH (Mar. 6, 2002), Column 253 (June 29, 1999), Column 280WH (Jan. 10, 2001), Column 540 (July 9, 2001). Davenport Lyons are Mr. Galloway’s legal representatives. Davenport Lyons letter to the Charity Commission for England and Wales (Apr. 13, 2004). 143 National Bank of Abu Dhabi record, Mariam Appeal account, credit advices (Apr. 13, 1999, Apr. 19, and Nov. 30, 2000) and bank statement (May 4, 1999); Lloyds TSB record, Mariam Appeal account, bank statements (undated) (transaction dates Aug. 4, 2000; Mar. 13 and July 11, 2001), bank statements (Nov. 1 and 29, 2001; June 13, July 25, Aug. 8, Sept. 5, and Dec. 12, 2002); George Galloway interview (May 16, 2005); Neste Oil letter to the Committee (June 30, 2005); Rod Gavshon interview (May 23, 2005); David Leigh and David Pallister, “Iraq Oil cash funded MP’s campaigns,” The Guardian, Feb. 17, 2004; Dominic Kennedy, “Globetrotter's 14 trips paid for by appeal,” The Times, Apr. 23, 2003; Charity Commission of England and Wales record, “Income Abu Dhabi account” (undated); Charity Commission for England and Wales, “The Mariam Appeal (2004),” sec. 12 (June 28, 2004). 144 Committee oil beneficiary table, contract nos. M/08/35, M/09/23; M/10/38, M/11/04, M/12/14, M/13/48; Iraq official interviews; Ghalib Al-Douri interview (Nov. 5, 2004); Saddam Z. Hassan interviews (Mar. 9 and July 28, 2005); Tariq Aziz interview (Mar. 1, 2005). When interviewed a second time, Mr. REPORT ON PROGRAMME MANIPULATION–OCTOBER 27, 2005 PAGE 80 OF 623
INDEPENDENT INQUIRY COMMITTEE INTO THE UNITED NATIONS OIL-FOR-FOOD PROGRAMME REPORT ON PROGRAMME MANIPULATION CHAPTER TWO OIL TRANSACTIONS AND ILLICIT PAYMENTS Of those allocations, 11 million barrels of oil were allocated directly to “Mr. Galloway” and classified as “United Kingdom” allocations and seven million barrels of oil were allocated to “Fawaz Zureikat,” also classified as “United Kingdom” allocations or noted specifically as allocations for the Mariam Appeal. Separately, Mr. Zureikat was allocated a total of five million barrels of oil, classified as “Jordan” allocations. In some phases, oil was allocated to both “Mr. Galloway/Fawaz Zureikat” under the “United Kingdom” classification and “Fawaz Zureikat” under the “Jordan” classification. Iraqi officials have confirmed that Mr. Zureikat’s allocations classified as “United Kingdom” were intended to benefit Mr. Galloway’s anti-sanctions campaign, and those classified as “Jordan” were for the benefit Mr. Zureikat personally. By Phase XI, the SOMO Requests for Approval of Contract also began referencing Mr. Galloway as the named beneficiary of the oil. 145 Aziz changed his previous assertion that Mr. Galloway had received oil allocations. Committee investigators were under the clear impression at this interview that Mr. Aziz believed that the purpose of the interview was to gather evidence to be used against him in subsequent legal proceedings. The Committee does not find the new denial credible under the circumstances. Tariq Aziz interview (Aug. 16, 2005). The only other allocations designated under United Kingdom “special requests” were for the Mujahadeen Khalq. Committee oil beneficiary table, contract nos. M/08/95, M/09/76, M/10/16; M/11/44, M/12/76. There is a small discrepancy between the SOMO records and United Nations records relating to contract M/08/35. United Nations records reflect an additional 100,000 barrels being lifted. Committee oil beneficiary and company tables, contract no. M/08/35. 145 Iraq official interview; Amer Rashid interview (Feb. 20, 2005); Saddam Z. Hassan interview (July 28, 2005); Committee oil beneficiary table, contract nos. M/08/35, M/09/23; M/10/38, M/11/04, M/12/14, M/13/48; SOMO oil allocation tables for Phase X (Aug. 4, 2001) (indicating an allocation of three million barrels of oil for “Mr. Galloway/Fawaz Zureikat”), Phase XII (May 19, 2002) (indicating an allocation of three million barrels of oil for “Mr. Galloway/Fawaz Zureikat”), Phase XIII (Nov. 17, 2002) (indicating an allocation of three million barrels of oil for “Mr. Galloway/Fawaz Zureikat”) (each translated from Arabic); SOMO letters to Amer Rashid (Dec. 19, 2001) (approving contract M/11/04 for three million barrels of oil for “Mr. Galloway”), (June 23, 2002) (approving contract M/12/14 for three million barrels of oil for “Mr. George Galloway”), (Jan. 23, 2003) (approving contract M/13/48 for two million barrels of oil for “Mr. Galloway”) (each translated from Arabic). REPORT ON PROGRAMME MANIPULATION–OCTOBER 27, 2005 PAGE 81 OF 623
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