Saddam Backed MKO Financially

Irandidban 27 January 2004

Iraq-based Al-Mada newspaper has published a highly significant document which names the politicians, journalists and parties who have received millions of oil barrels from Saddam Hussein.
The list was discovered in the documents of the Oil Trade Company which was related to the Iraqi Oil ministry. It includes the names of personalities, companies, parties, groups, organizations to which Saddam had allocated some crude oil.
One of the groups which had the largest share in Iraqi oil is the Mojahedin-e Khalq organization. In front of the name of Mojahedin in the list, is the figure of "36.5 million barrels" and the organization is listed as registered in the UK.
London-based Alhayat newspaper published some of the reactions to this report. AFP quoted Abdul Saheb Salman Qotb, a former Deputy of the Iraqi Oil Ministry, as saying: 'They will be revealed at the right time and they will be prosecuted'. He said he will do his best to return the property and capital of the Iraqi people to Iraq. He added: 'The ministry is collecting information about this and after that the information will be transferred to Interpol in order to sue these people and companies and all those who have bothered the Iraqi people'.
MKO spokesmen have not yet responded to the revelation of various documents which show their dependence on Saddam Hussein.

REUTERS WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2004

Saddam gave oil bribes to Congress: Report

BAGHDAD: Iraq plans to investigate allegations that dozens of officials and businessmen worldwide illegally received oil in exchange for supporting former leader Saddam Hussein, officials said on Tuesday. Among the organisations alleged to have received money is India's Congress party.

The official statements came after al-Mada , an independent Baghdad newspaper, published a list it said was based on oil ministry documents showing 46 individuals, companies and organisations from inside and outside Iraq who were given millions of barrels of oil.

"I think the list is true. I will demand an investigation. These people must be prosecuted," Naseer Chaderji, a Governing Council member, said.

In addition to the Congress, the list names the Russian Orthodox Church, Russian Communist Party, Palestinian Liberation Organisation, members of Arab ruling families, religious organisations, politicians and political parties from Egypt, Jordan, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Sudan, China, Austria, France and other countries.

Assem Jihad, an oil ministry spokesman, said the thousands of documents which were looted from the State Oil Marketing Organisation after Baghdad fell to US forces on April 9 may prove that Saddam used bribery to gain support.

 "Anyone involved in stealing Iraqi wealth will be prosecuted," Jihad said.

Oil ministry officials say they have stopped selling oil to companies that may have acted as fronts to supporters of the toppled leader.

Entifadh Qnbar, a spokesman for the Iraqi National Congress, a secular party headed by former exile Ahmad Chalabi, said even Arab oligarchs from oil producing countries received oil from Saddam.

"These people took bribes. Sadly, the Iraqi people paid the price," Anbar said.

Despite UN sanctions, Iraq was allowed to sell oil from 1996-2003 under an agreement with the United Nations stipulating that proceeds from the oil sales be used to buy food, medicine and basic supplies.

But bankers say some international companies selling goods to Iraq may have paid commissions to Iraqi officials that were deposited in Arab banks in exchange for winning contracts under the oil for food deal.

Oil traders say Iraq also smuggled oil through southern ports not monitored by the United Nations and through a pipeline running to Syria.

Damascus says the pipeline was only operating for testing purposes.

"Saddam had no problem giving oil to whoever he wanted," said one Iraqi trader who did business with the former government.