Posted on 02/14/2007 9:56:30 AM PST by Stoat
George Galloway is likely to be investigated by the Met Police over claims he broke US sanctions by receiving oil money from Saddam Hussein.
The Serious Fraud Office has recommended that Scotland Yard open an investigation and talks are currently taking place with the Crown Prosecution Service.
The Respect MP for Bethnal Green and Bow has denied any impropriety and will not be investigated on separate offences of corruption.
Under UN sanctions oil sales were only permitted for approved humanitarian purposes.
To prosecute, police will have to find evidence that Mr Galloway knew that money earned from oil sales was being siphoned to pay for political campaigning.
A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "The Metropolitan Police is in discussion with the Crown Prosecution Service and is seeking its advice.
"We are considering a request to investigate the matter. We are not investigating at this time."
However a spokesman for Mr Galloway dismissed the issue as old news. He said: "This story is so old, so hoary, so repetitive that it could be on the TV programme Life on Mars. George has been exonerated repeatedly.
"The SFO must have handed a blank piece of paper to Scotland Yard. It is a waste of public servants' time." In 2005 the Volcker report, a US-backed investigation into the abuses of the UN oilforfood programme claimed Mr Galloway had received illicit payments in return for campaigning for the sanctions in Iraq to be lifted.
Further accusations were made by US Republican senator Norm Coleman.
In a separate investigation, the SFO is looking into allegations that British-based firms paid bribes to Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq.
The firms being targeted include drug manufacturers Glaxo-SmithKline (GSK), AstraZeneca and Eli Lilly.
The companies are on a list of international companies accused in a UN report of paying kickbacks under the oil-for-food fraud which enabled Saddam Hussein to illicitly amass around $1.8billion (£900 million). The inquiry, costing £22million over three years, was ordered last week by SFO director Robert Wardle.
A spokesman for the agency said: "The director of the SFO has opened an investigation centred on alleged breaches of sanctions in respect of the UN oil-for-food programme."
The inquiry will use evidence from the Volcker report which accused GSK of paying kickbacks worth $1million to win contracts with a total value of $11.9million (£6 million).
GSK have denied any wrongdoing. A statement said: "The UN oil-for-food programme was run in the UK by the Department of Trade and Industry and GSK operated entirely within DTI¬ guidance in this area.
"Indeed, GSK had a regular dialogue with officials at the DTI to ensure that all its dealings under the oil-for-food programme were transparent and in accordance with the regulations."
. A US Marine helicopter that crashed in Iraq last week killing all seven aboard was caused by enemy fire, the US military said.
Strange that merely "evidence of siphoning money" or "violating UN sanctions" wouldn't be enough.
Further accusations were made by US Republican senator Norm Coleman.
Norm Coleman - United States Senator - Minnesota
A US Marine helicopter that crashed in Iraq last week killing all seven aboard was caused by enemy fire, the US military said.
What does this have to do with Galloway? Not sure why the Daily Mail included this line.
Related:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1784478/posts
Firms accused of bribing Saddam investigated by fraud office
How about that! A rat actually gets caught eating the cheese! Can we get them to investigate Sandy Berger?
Great News! Now tie Livingstone in if possible!
I think it's next door to the "Ministry of Silly Walks"
'bout time ole Georgie Porgie gets in the hot seat for his cozying to Saddam plus his islamic connections.
Hope he cashed all the checks, they'll bounce for sure now.
Reports of that were ALL OVER Free Republic about that when the war started!
Who'd thought!
You don't say!
/sarc
This office is located right next door to the Department of Silly Walks.
FMCDH(BITS)
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