The scandal engulfing the Australian wheat monopoly AWB, and its alleged kick backs in the oil for food programme, worsened as Australian Prime Minister John Howard denied that Australian officials had knowledge of millions of dollars in alleged kickbacks.
His comments were made in response to the publication of a July 2002 letter; in the letter Howard urged AWB's Managing Director, Andrew Lindberg, to stay "in close contact" with government officials as Iraq threatened to halve wheat imports from Australia because of its support for the United States.
AWB Ltd, formerly the Australian Wheat Board, is being investigated by the Australian government for allegedly paying US$221.7M in bogus fees to the Jordanian trucking firm Alia, which was part-owned by the Iraqi government.
The money was then allegedly diverted to Saddam Hussein.
The inquiry is at the request of the United Nations, which issued a report by former U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Paul A. Volcker in October 2005 that stated that AWB made the "side payments" in violation of U.N. sanctions.
Howard stated in the letter:
"The government cannot accept any Iraqi attempt to politicise our wheat trade or to pressure us into dropping our support for U.N. Security Council resolutions requiring international inspection of Iraq's (weapons) facilities.
In view of the importance of this matter, I suggest that the government and AWB Ltd. remain in close contact in order that we can jointly attempt to achieve a satisfactory outcome in the longer term."
After the letter was sent, Lindberg visited Iraq with officials from Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
It is alleged that during that visit Lindberg agreed to pay Saddam's government US$2M in kickbacks, that were concealed in an inflated wheat contract.
Howard rejected the accusation that the government had known about the alleged kickbacks:
"We were in no way involved with the payment of bribes. We didn't condone them, we didn't have knowledge of them, but we did work closely with AWB."
"I would have been failing in my job as prime minister if I hadn't done everything I could to maintain and protect the wheat market because it was one of our best."
Kim Beazley, leader of the centre-left opposition Labor Party, said:
"Anything less (than a full enquiry) is a cover-up of what has been, to my mind, the worst piece of corruption I have seen in my 25 years as a federal politician at the federal level."
Monday, January 30, 2006
Sunday, January 29, 2006
Saddam's Trial Collapses Again!
Saddam Hussein's trial again collapsed into chaos after resuming briefly today.
The new chief judge in the trial, Raouf Abdel-Rahman, tried to bring control to the chaos but failed.
An anonymous female prosecution witness began to give testimony from behind a curtain.
Then, 15 minutes of the session's start, Saddam's co-defendant Barzan Ibrahim stood and asked to address the court.
Ibrahim called the court "the daughter of a whore."
At this point the censor intervened, and the delayed television feed showing the proceedings was cut off.
The judge ordered Ibrahim to sit down, shouting:
"One more word and I'm throwing you out."
Ibrahim refused to sit, and two guards grabbed him by the arms and after some pushing and shoving, dragged him out of the court.
As the fight went on, Saddam stood and shouted:
"Down with the traitors. Down with America."
The defence lawyers then joined in, and began shouting as well.
Abdel-Rahman asked:
"Is this a street demonstration, are you lawyers?"
The judge asked the Jordanian defence lawyer, Salih al-Armouti:
"Can you do this in your own courts in your country?"
Al-Armouti replied:
"My country gives me my rights."
Abdel-Rahman ordered al-Armouti to be removed from court, saying:
"You have incited your clients and we will start criminal proceedings against you."
The rest of the defence team then walked out.
Saddam then stood and said that he too wanted to leave the court.
Abdel-Rahman said:
"You do not leave, I allow you to leave when I want to".
Saddam replied:
"I was the president for 35 years."
The judge retorted:
"I am the judge and you are the defendant."
Two guards then pushed Saddam into his chair, but then the judge ordered them to take him out of the room.
Abdel-Rahman had been brought in to impose control on a trial, yet if today's disaster is anything to go by he is failing miserably.
Saddam's defence team said that they will file motions questioning the court's independence and legitimacy because of the shake-up among the judges.
The new chief judge in the trial, Raouf Abdel-Rahman, tried to bring control to the chaos but failed.
An anonymous female prosecution witness began to give testimony from behind a curtain.
Then, 15 minutes of the session's start, Saddam's co-defendant Barzan Ibrahim stood and asked to address the court.
Ibrahim called the court "the daughter of a whore."
At this point the censor intervened, and the delayed television feed showing the proceedings was cut off.
The judge ordered Ibrahim to sit down, shouting:
"One more word and I'm throwing you out."
Ibrahim refused to sit, and two guards grabbed him by the arms and after some pushing and shoving, dragged him out of the court.
As the fight went on, Saddam stood and shouted:
"Down with the traitors. Down with America."
The defence lawyers then joined in, and began shouting as well.
Abdel-Rahman asked:
"Is this a street demonstration, are you lawyers?"
The judge asked the Jordanian defence lawyer, Salih al-Armouti:
"Can you do this in your own courts in your country?"
Al-Armouti replied:
"My country gives me my rights."
Abdel-Rahman ordered al-Armouti to be removed from court, saying:
"You have incited your clients and we will start criminal proceedings against you."
The rest of the defence team then walked out.
Saddam then stood and said that he too wanted to leave the court.
Abdel-Rahman said:
"You do not leave, I allow you to leave when I want to".
Saddam replied:
"I was the president for 35 years."
The judge retorted:
"I am the judge and you are the defendant."
Two guards then pushed Saddam into his chair, but then the judge ordered them to take him out of the room.
Abdel-Rahman had been brought in to impose control on a trial, yet if today's disaster is anything to go by he is failing miserably.
Saddam's defence team said that they will file motions questioning the court's independence and legitimacy because of the shake-up among the judges.
Friday, January 27, 2006
Saddam To Sue Bush and Blair
In a pure act of theatrical bravado, Saddam Hussein has announced that he wishes to sue President Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair for war crimes.
Defence lawyers working for Saddam have given the media copies of the suit. It blames Bush and Blair for destroying Iraq, and accuses them of committing war crimes by using weapons of mass destruction.
The suit goes on to claim that coalition forces used internationally banned weapons in their military manoeuvres in Iraq; including enriched uranium and phosphoric and cluster bombs against unarmed Iraqi civilians, specifically in Baghdad, Fallujah, Ramadi, al-Kaem and Anbar province.
In November, the U.S. military admitted to using white phosphorous munitions "sparingly" as an incendiary weapon against enemy troops during the Fallujah assault. The military strongly denied using the banned substance against civilians, as some critics have charged, and said that its military use is not banned.
The suit then goes on to accuse Bush and Blair of torturing Iraqi prisoners, polluting Iraq's air, water and environment, inciting internal strife and destroying the country's cultural heritage with the aim of eliminating an ancient civilisation.
Hussein's legal team said that it intends to start legal action against Bush and Blair in the International Criminal Court in the Hague, and the suit demands that they appear before the court to answer the charges and requested the harshest punishment available according to Dutch legislation and the rules of international and humanitarian laws.
Cna this trial become any more bizarre?
The suit is also seeking compensation for "all material and moral damage inflicted on the Iraqi people."
Defence lawyers working for Saddam have given the media copies of the suit. It blames Bush and Blair for destroying Iraq, and accuses them of committing war crimes by using weapons of mass destruction.
The suit goes on to claim that coalition forces used internationally banned weapons in their military manoeuvres in Iraq; including enriched uranium and phosphoric and cluster bombs against unarmed Iraqi civilians, specifically in Baghdad, Fallujah, Ramadi, al-Kaem and Anbar province.
In November, the U.S. military admitted to using white phosphorous munitions "sparingly" as an incendiary weapon against enemy troops during the Fallujah assault. The military strongly denied using the banned substance against civilians, as some critics have charged, and said that its military use is not banned.
The suit then goes on to accuse Bush and Blair of torturing Iraqi prisoners, polluting Iraq's air, water and environment, inciting internal strife and destroying the country's cultural heritage with the aim of eliminating an ancient civilisation.
Hussein's legal team said that it intends to start legal action against Bush and Blair in the International Criminal Court in the Hague, and the suit demands that they appear before the court to answer the charges and requested the harshest punishment available according to Dutch legislation and the rules of international and humanitarian laws.
Cna this trial become any more bizarre?
The suit is also seeking compensation for "all material and moral damage inflicted on the Iraqi people."
Thursday, January 26, 2006
Gorgeous George In Trouble - Again!
George Galloway MP (sometimes nicknamed "Gorgeous"), scourge of the Labour Party, Congress, the Daily Telegraph and evicted from the Big Brother house last night, is in trouble again.
This time there is video footage of him shaking hands with Saddam Hussein's son, Uday Hussein.
Uday was an alleged rapist, torturer and convicted murderer.
The video, obtained by The Sun, shows the Respect MP participating in a 20 minute meeting with Uday in an Iraqi palace in 1999.
In the video, Galloway is seen to greet Uday, shaking his hand twice and calling him "Excellency."
During his exchange with Uday he is reportedly seen to joke about losing weight, going bald and failing to give up smoking cigars.
Galloway, being a respecter of freedom of speech, then also orders watching journalists not to publish parts of their conversation.
Finally, according to the Sun, he taunts the US and vows to stick with Uday "until the end".
The video was allegedly shot for an Iraqi TV station, and was smuggled out of Iraq before the regime fell.
This time there is video footage of him shaking hands with Saddam Hussein's son, Uday Hussein.
Uday was an alleged rapist, torturer and convicted murderer.
The video, obtained by The Sun, shows the Respect MP participating in a 20 minute meeting with Uday in an Iraqi palace in 1999.
In the video, Galloway is seen to greet Uday, shaking his hand twice and calling him "Excellency."
During his exchange with Uday he is reportedly seen to joke about losing weight, going bald and failing to give up smoking cigars.
Galloway, being a respecter of freedom of speech, then also orders watching journalists not to publish parts of their conversation.
Finally, according to the Sun, he taunts the US and vows to stick with Uday "until the end".
The video was allegedly shot for an Iraqi TV station, and was smuggled out of Iraq before the regime fell.
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
The Farce Continues
It seems that the phrases "well run" and "trial of Saddam Hussein" are oxymorons.
Saddam's trial was meant to resume yesterday. However, rather unsurprisingly, it has been postponed yet again this time until Sunday.
This time the dispute centres on the appointment of a the new presiding judge, who was appointed in a last-minute shake-up
Raid Juhi, a judge and spokesman for the tribunal, said that the trial was being delayed because some witnesses and complainants were out of the country making the pilgrimage to Mecca.
However, his statement is being pooh-poohed by the media; who had waited for over four hours for the trial to start.
Anyone with any nounce can reason that if the delay was really down to the absence of witnesses, then this issue would have been raised earlier.
The real reason for the delay appears to be a disagreement among the judges over the replacement of Rizgar Muhammad Amin, the Kurdish judge who has presided over the trial until now.
Judge Amin was scheduled to be replaced by his deputy, Said al-Hammash. However, Judge Hammash was passed over by the tribunal after a commission, which was charged with removing former high-level members of the Baath Party, accused the judge of having been a Baathist.
Instead, Raouf Rasheed Abdel Rahman, was appointed Monday as the new presiding judge for the trial.
Needless to say, that decision reflected badly upon the perceived independence of the trial. As such the tribunal are now squabbling amogst themselves.
In fact, it seems that the tribunal is beset by the same partisan politics that have been unleashed by the "regime change", and that are currently tearing Iraq apart.
Saddam's trial was meant to resume yesterday. However, rather unsurprisingly, it has been postponed yet again this time until Sunday.
This time the dispute centres on the appointment of a the new presiding judge, who was appointed in a last-minute shake-up
Raid Juhi, a judge and spokesman for the tribunal, said that the trial was being delayed because some witnesses and complainants were out of the country making the pilgrimage to Mecca.
However, his statement is being pooh-poohed by the media; who had waited for over four hours for the trial to start.
Anyone with any nounce can reason that if the delay was really down to the absence of witnesses, then this issue would have been raised earlier.
The real reason for the delay appears to be a disagreement among the judges over the replacement of Rizgar Muhammad Amin, the Kurdish judge who has presided over the trial until now.
Judge Amin was scheduled to be replaced by his deputy, Said al-Hammash. However, Judge Hammash was passed over by the tribunal after a commission, which was charged with removing former high-level members of the Baath Party, accused the judge of having been a Baathist.
Instead, Raouf Rasheed Abdel Rahman, was appointed Monday as the new presiding judge for the trial.
Needless to say, that decision reflected badly upon the perceived independence of the trial. As such the tribunal are now squabbling amogst themselves.
In fact, it seems that the tribunal is beset by the same partisan politics that have been unleashed by the "regime change", and that are currently tearing Iraq apart.
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
New Judge Named
The Baghdad Tribunal, trying Saddam Hussein, has chosen Rauf Rashid Abdel Rahman to fill in for the presiding judge who recently resinged.
The trial resumes today.
The trial resumes today.
Monday, January 23, 2006
Who's To Judge?
Saddam Hussein's trial resumes again tomorrow. However, the court still has to decide who will be the chief judge.
Judge Rizkar Mohammed Amin announced his resignation earlier this month, and court officials are still trying to persuade him to change his mind.
In fact, the cabinet has yet to accept the resignation.
Amin said that he was stepping down, after being criticised for being too lenient with the defendants.
If the resignation is accepted, the five member court panel will have to vote on a new presiding judge. In the meantime the next most senior member of the panel, Said al-Hammashi, is expected to preside.
Within days of reports saying he would succeed Amin, Hammashi came under attack from the de-Baathification Committee.
The committee claimed Hammashi was a former active member of the Baath party, and should not preside over the trial.
Who has totally clean hands in this trial?
Judge Rizkar Mohammed Amin announced his resignation earlier this month, and court officials are still trying to persuade him to change his mind.
In fact, the cabinet has yet to accept the resignation.
Amin said that he was stepping down, after being criticised for being too lenient with the defendants.
If the resignation is accepted, the five member court panel will have to vote on a new presiding judge. In the meantime the next most senior member of the panel, Said al-Hammashi, is expected to preside.
Within days of reports saying he would succeed Amin, Hammashi came under attack from the de-Baathification Committee.
The committee claimed Hammashi was a former active member of the Baath party, and should not preside over the trial.
Who has totally clean hands in this trial?
Friday, January 20, 2006
Aziz Denied Asylum
Croatia has ruled out granting temporary asylum to Saddam Hussein's former foreign minister, Tariq Aziz, if he is freed and allowed to seek medical treatment for cancer.
Aziz wrote to Croatia requesting consideration of a formal asylum demand, if he was released by the Iraqi government.
A series of letters from Aziz and his associates have been released to the media. One said:
"We are therefore requesting an urgent response as to whether the Croatian government would permit ... Tariq Aziz and his family interim residence in Croatia in the event the Iraqi government accedes to our request".
Aziz's lawyers have filed an application with the Iraqi government for his immediate release and have asked France, Italy and Sweden if they could accept him for urgent medical treatment.
However, Aziz's family have asked that he be allowed to temporarily stay in Croatia; because it is considered as a neutral country regarding the war in Iraq.
Aziz has been accused of two counts of mass murder, allegedly committed in 1979 and 1991. He faces the death penalty if he is found guilty.
Aziz wrote to Croatia requesting consideration of a formal asylum demand, if he was released by the Iraqi government.
A series of letters from Aziz and his associates have been released to the media. One said:
"We are therefore requesting an urgent response as to whether the Croatian government would permit ... Tariq Aziz and his family interim residence in Croatia in the event the Iraqi government accedes to our request".
Aziz's lawyers have filed an application with the Iraqi government for his immediate release and have asked France, Italy and Sweden if they could accept him for urgent medical treatment.
However, Aziz's family have asked that he be allowed to temporarily stay in Croatia; because it is considered as a neutral country regarding the war in Iraq.
Aziz has been accused of two counts of mass murder, allegedly committed in 1979 and 1991. He faces the death penalty if he is found guilty.
Thursday, January 19, 2006
Bush Meets Some of Saddam's Victims
In Washington President Bush met with a group of victims of Saddam Hussein's regime, who had witnessed brutal actions against human rights.
President Bush said that the victims that he met "have suffered, one way or the other, because the tyrant was a law unto himself, and was willing to deny people basic human rights."
He said the stories that he heard from the victims were "compelling", and conveyed both sadness and bravery.
Quote:
"In the course of our discussion, we were also able to talk about what a contrast it is between a society which was willing to jail people, torture people and beat people and kill people, to a society that is beginning to understand the fruits of democracy and freedom."
President Bush assured the victims that the United States will stand with the Iraqi people, until Iraq can defend itself and will not be "a safe haven for the terrorists."
That is a very open ended commitment, which may take years to deliver.
The question is, are the American people prepared to stay the course?
President Bush said that the victims that he met "have suffered, one way or the other, because the tyrant was a law unto himself, and was willing to deny people basic human rights."
He said the stories that he heard from the victims were "compelling", and conveyed both sadness and bravery.
Quote:
"In the course of our discussion, we were also able to talk about what a contrast it is between a society which was willing to jail people, torture people and beat people and kill people, to a society that is beginning to understand the fruits of democracy and freedom."
President Bush assured the victims that the United States will stand with the Iraqi people, until Iraq can defend itself and will not be "a safe haven for the terrorists."
That is a very open ended commitment, which may take years to deliver.
The question is, are the American people prepared to stay the course?
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Trial May Be Moved
Iraqi President Jalal Talabani has indicated that he would not object to moving the trial of Saddam Hussein from Baghdad to southern Iraq, or his northern Kurdish region, if the judges sought such a change on security grounds.
That is according to Talabani's secretary, Hewah Othman.
However, any transfer is dependent on parliamentary approval.
How sad an indictment on the security situation in Iraq, and the state of that sad country, is that?
Mission accomplished?????
That is according to Talabani's secretary, Hewah Othman.
However, any transfer is dependent on parliamentary approval.
How sad an indictment on the security situation in Iraq, and the state of that sad country, is that?
Mission accomplished?????
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