Iraqi Government Docs: Saddam Bribed France

Papers said to have come from ousted regime show oil used to purchase opposition to war

January 28, 2004
© 2004 WorldNetDaily.com

Saddam Hussein used oil to bribe French officials into opposing the U.S.-led war against Iraq, according to documents purportedly from the ousted Baghdad regime's oil ministry.

The U.S.-backed Iraqi Governing Council is investigating the claim, which was prompted by a report from an independent Baghdad newspaper, al-Mada, the London Independent reported today.

From the government documents, the Iraqi paper published a list of 46 individuals, companies and organizations inside and outside Iraq given millions of barrels of oil.

"I think the list is true," Naseer Chaderji, a Governing Council member, said, according to the London daily. "I will demand an investigation. These people must be prosecuted."

The discovery comes after month of rumors about the eventual surfacing of documents that would implicate senior French officials and undermine President Jacques Chirac's moral opposition to overthrowing Saddam Hussein.

Negotiations in the U.N. Security Council for another resolution to give the United States and Britain sanction to launch the war broke down in the face of a veto threat from France. Since then, relations with Paris have been tense.

The London paper cited a senior Bush administration official who said the White House is aware of the reports, but he refused to comment.

France has insisted its opposition to war with Iraq did not equate with support for Saddam, but British diplomats have been suspicious of French motives, the Independent said.

"Oil runs thicker than blood," one unnamed former ambassador said.

The Iraqi newspapers list included members of Arab ruling families, religious organizations, politicians and political parties from Egypt, Jordan, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Sudan, China, Austria, France and other countries, the Independent said, noting no names were available at press time.

The organizations on the list included the Russian Orthodox Church and the Russian Communist Party, India's Congress Party and the Palestine Liberation Organization.

The Iraqi authorities want to interview prominent officials from Saddam's regime held by the Coalition Provisional Authority, including the former oil minister, Amer Mohammed Rashid.

Oil ministry spokesman Assem Jihad said the stolen documents could prove Saddam used bribery to rally support.

"Anyone stealing Iraqi wealth will be prosecuted," he said, according to the Independent.

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