From the
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:
Saddam Hussein diverted money from the U.N. oil-for-food program to pay millions of dollars to families of Palestinian suicide bombers who carried out attacks on Israel, say congressional investigators who uncovered evidence of the money trail.
The former Iraqi president tapped secret bank accounts in Jordan -- where he collected bribes from foreign companies and individuals doing illicit business under the humanitarian program -- to reward the families up to $25,000 each, investigators told The Associated Press.
And here is a bonus for the Frog Lovers amongst our readership:
Today's hearing, however, will focus on a French bank that handled most of the money for the program. An audit by a U.S. regulatory agency of a small sample of transactions out of the $60 billion U.N. escrow account managed by BNP-Paribas has raised serious questions concerning the bank's compliance with American money-laundering laws, investigators said.
"There are indications that the bank may have been noncompliant in administering the oil-for-food program,"
[C]ommittee chairman Henry Hyde, R-Ill., said. "If true, these possible banking lapses may have facilitated Saddam Hussein's manipulation and corruption of the program."
Matt's Chat
So...let's review...Saddam DID have connections with terrorists and terrorism. France DID have involvement with corrupting the Oil for Food program into the debacle it became. And, oh yeah, President Bush DID the right thing...
Islamofascism Delenda Est!
Current Arafat Status:
