New claims against British MP of links to Saddam

Reuters | 4/22/03

[kattracks]

New claims against British MP of links to Saddam

LONDON, April 23 (Reuters) - A British paper published more allegations on Wednesday of links between anti-war politician George Galloway and Saddam Hussein, after the MP dismissed a claim that he had been paid by Iraq as "absolutely ludicrous."

The Daily Telegraph newspaper said a document found by one of its reporters in Iraq's looted Foreign Ministry showed that the Iraqi leader had rejected a request for more money from the British member of parliament three years ago.

In a similar report on Tuesday, the Telegraph said Galloway had received 375,000 pounds ($587,000) a year in payoffs from the Iraqi government under the U.N.-backed oil-for-food programme.

Galloway, a left-wing member of Prime Minister Tony Blair's ruling Labour Party, responded to that report by saying he was suing the Telegraph for libel. The paper confirmed it had been contacted by Galloway's lawyers.

Labour Chairman Ian McCartney said party officials would look into the "extremely serious" allegations.

Party officials had already been considering disciplinary action against Galloway for calling Blair and U.S. President George W. Bush "wolves" for attacking Iraq. Blair called those remarks "disgraceful."

The Scottish legislator has been lambasted by parts of the British press for his tireless opposition to the attack on Iraq and lampooned as the "MP for Baghdad Central." He was a long-time campaigner against U.N. sanctions on Iraq, and met Saddam.

Galloway said the documents found in the Iraqi Foreign Ministry might have been forged or planted as part of what he called a "carpet bombing" campaign against him.

04/22/03 21:11 ET

[ladyinred]

This just might explain this man's outrageous remarks against the war! I would love to see this man go down!

[goodnesswins]

Hmmmmm....this guy must be a friend of Kofi's....can't wait to see if there's a paper trail on ole' Kofi's piece of the "oil for food" action.

[Eva]

I would love to see some evidence of payments to US citizens. I don't expect to find any politicians, but maybe Ramsey Clark, or some of the other peace movement gurus.

[pulaskibush]

Socialists selling out to dictators, isn't that what the United Nations does as a policy.

[bond7]

Can you imagine the intelligence he was privy to and undoubtedly passed on?

Can you say "Treason"?

[ellery]

Gee, George, how many starving Iraqi children could that half-mil a year have fed?

[bond7]

I just hope Fisk is found on the take, too. The man writes from a corrupt perspective, it seems. Maybe they can bunk together in The Tower.

Politics makes strange bedfellows.....and they don't get much stranger than these two.

[tubebender]

I would love to see some evidence of payments to US citizens.

Like Shott Critter er I mean Scott Ritter...

[Ken H]

FYI. First I've seen on this from Reuters.

As Col. Hunt would say, "people are filling toilets now."

[GailA]

Useless Nations oil for food scam Master list