On Jan. 25, 2004 an Iraqi newspaper, Al-Mada, reported that it had " obtained a set of tables that provide the names of individuals and firms for whom quantities of crude oil have been allocated during the various stages of the Memorandum of Understanding, as outlined in the documents of the Oil Marketing Company, a public firm affiliated to the Ministry of Oil. The lists include the names of individuals, companies, parties, groups, and organizations for which the former regime allocated quantities of crude oil. "
The paper reported that " [s]ince its acceptance of the Memorandum of Understanding, or what is known as the Food for Oil Program, the defunct regime has turned this memorandum into a dirty business and a political game to fund his secret purchases of weapons, expensive construction materials for the presidential palaces and mosques, and luxurious items for extravagance. It also turned the contract for selling oil into the biggest operation in modern history for buying loyalty and influence and squandering the homeland's wealth. "
Mr Galloway features prominently on their list of 270.
The paper described Galloways case " truly tragic. This man defended the Arab just causes but as soon as he got closer to the Iraqi regime he was corrupted. Galloway was dismissed from the Labor Party for this reason. He defended himself strongly and criticized the British policy, Tony Balir, and Bush, but I don't think that he can dismiss the Iraqi documents that incriminate him fully. "
It goes on:
" Apart from the abovementioned lists, Al-Mada also obtained six applications submitted by the Executive Director and the Acting Executive Director of the Oil Marketing Company to the Oil Minister to endorse the crude oil deals. The name of Galloway appeared in these documents not as a contract owner but as someone to whom these quantities belong. Galloway hides behind a company that does not belong to him personally or that has a nationality that is different form his nationality.
The method by which these contracts were concluded sheds light on the mechanism through which the coupons and the presidential sublime will were dispensed. This is why we would like to explain it here, particularly since some names appeared on the lists as single names, such as Samir. It is not known if it is the name of a person or a company.
A contract dated 29 December 1999. The name of the purchasing Finnish company is Fortum Oil and Gas-oy [name in English as published], but there is a reference to the name (Burhan al-Chalabi) and another reference that goes as follows: For Mr George Galloway. The quantity is 6 million barrels.
A contract dated 10 July 2001. The name of the purchasing company is Aredio Petroleum and (Fawwaz Zurayqat), who is Jordanian. The following written remark appears: For Mr George Galloway. The quantity is 4 million barrels.
A contract dated 6 August 2001. The name of the purchasing company is Middle East Advanced Semiconductor Inc, which is Jordanian (Fawwaz Zurayqat). There is a reference that the deal is for Mr George Galloway. The quantity is 3 million tons [as published].
A contract dated 3 May 2001. The purchasing company is the same as above and it is Jordanian (Fawwaz Zurayqat). The same reference appears that the contract is for Mr Galloway. The quantity is 2 million barrels.
A contract dated 12 December 2002. It includes the same details mentioned above. The quantity is 3 million barrels.
A contract dated 3 June 2002. It includes the same details mentioned above. The quantity is 3 million barrels.
The words (for Mr George Galloway) appeared six times, but they are not all the same. Two times they appeared in connection with the names of French and Finnish companies and the rest are Jordanian in the name of Fawwaz Zurayqat. All these deals have been approved and signed by the Oil Minister, who added the word "approved" along with the date.
The interesting thing is that Galloway's name appears in the tables throughout the stages of the Memorandum of Understanding along with the quantities received and the name of Zurayqat.
It is clear that Galloway is the one who obtained the famous coupon through his political ties and the services that he rendered to the regime. His name was mentioned in the contract perhaps to remind the minister since the company does not belong to him. Maybe this is the mechanism that applies to everybody who obtains a coupon, whether individuals, parties, or political organizations which have nothing to do with oil. The coupon carried the signature of the head of the regime and the quantity that he wants to dispense. The rest is taken care of by the phony, or real, companies. Maybe people like Galloway get only a generous percentage of the deal by way of commission or sell the coupon in return for money."
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