Meet Benon Sevan

[link|http://nypost.com/postopinion/editorial/24232.htm|Who does he report to?]

Excerpt:

When the head of the U.N.'s Oil-for- Food program got a copy of a
letter in October 2002 suggesting that a bribe had been paid to Saddam
Hussein's cronies as part of the program, what do you think was the
first thing he did?

If you guessed "informed the authorities, particularly his employers at
the Security Council" ? guess again.

According to a report Monday on Fox News Channel (a Post sister
company), the program's director, Benon Sevan, took the letter and went
directly to . . . Saddam.

"I am duty-bound to bring the matter to the attention of the Security
Council," Sevan wrote the Baghdad Butcher's U.N. envoy, Mohammed Aldouri.

Apparently, duty could wait:

"Prior to doing so . . . I should like to receive most urgently the
views and comments of the government of Iraq."

More on Benon Sevan [link|http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/04/22/wirq22.xml&sSheet=/portal/2004/04/22/ixportaltop.html|At the Telegraph]

Excerpt:

One of those named in Iraqi files as having received bribes on the
sale of oil is Benon Sevan, the UN official in charge of the programme.
Mr Sevan, who is on extended leave pending retirement, denied the claims.

[link|http://abcnews.go.com/sections/WNT/Investigation/oil_for_food_ripoff_040420-1.html|Even ABC news is carrying it]

Excerpt:

In an interview with ABCNEWS last year, Sevan denied any wrongdoing.

"Well, I can tell you there have been no allegations about me," he said.
"Maybe you can try to dig it out." And in a Feb. 10 statement, Sevan
challenged those making the allegations to "come forward and provide the
necessary documentary evidence" and present it to U.N. investigators.

But documents have surfaced in Baghdad, in the files of the former Iraqi
Oil Ministry, allegedly linking Sevan to a pay-off scheme in which some
270 prominent foreign officials received the right to trade in Iraqi oil
at cut-rate prices.

"It's almost like having coupons of bonds or shares. You can sell those
coupons to other people who are normal oil traders," said Claude
Hankes-Drielsma, a British adviser to the Iraq Governing Council.

Investigators say the smoking gun is a letter to former Iraqi oil
minister Amer Mohammed Rasheed, obtained by ABCNEWS and not yet in the
hands of the United Nations.

[link|http://www.angelfire.com/ca3/marlowe/un.iraq.complicity.html#20040705|Home link]

Post #162,845 by marlowe 7/5/04 10:22:23 AM Reply	Meet Benon Sevan [link\|http://nypost.com/postopinion/editorial/24232.htm\|Who does he report to?] Excerpt: When the head of the U.N.'s Oil-for- Food program got a copy of a letter in October 2002 suggesting that a bribe had been paid to Saddam Hussein's cronies as part of the program, what do you think was the first thing he did? If you guessed "informed the authorities, particularly his employers at the Security Council" ? guess again. According to a report Monday on Fox News Channel (a Post sister company), the program's director, Benon Sevan, took the letter and went directly to . . . Saddam. "I am duty-bound to bring the matter to the attention of the Security Council," Sevan wrote the Baghdad Butcher's U.N. envoy, Mohammed Aldouri. Apparently, duty could wait: "Prior to doing so . . . I should like to receive most urgently the views and comments of the government of Iraq." More on Benon Sevan [link\|http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/04/22/wirq22.xml&sSheet=/portal/2004/04/22/ixportaltop.html\|At the Telegraph] Excerpt: One of those named in Iraqi files as having received bribes on the sale of oil is Benon Sevan, the UN official in charge of the programme. Mr Sevan, who is on extended leave pending retirement, denied the claims. [link\|http://abcnews.go.com/sections/WNT/Investigation/oil_for_food_ripoff_040420-1.html\|Even ABC news is carrying it] Excerpt: In an interview with ABCNEWS last year, Sevan denied any wrongdoing. "Well, I can tell you there have been no allegations about me," he said. "Maybe you can try to dig it out." And in a Feb. 10 statement, Sevan challenged those making the allegations to "come forward and provide the necessary documentary evidence" and present it to U.N. investigators. But documents have surfaced in Baghdad, in the files of the former Iraqi Oil Ministry, allegedly linking Sevan to a pay-off scheme in which some 270 prominent foreign officials received the right to trade in Iraqi oil at cut-rate prices. "It's almost like having coupons of bonds or shares. You can sell those coupons to other people who are normal oil traders," said Claude Hankes-Drielsma, a British adviser to the Iraq Governing Council. Investigators say the smoking gun is a letter to former Iraqi oil minister Amer Mohammed Rasheed, obtained by ABCNEWS and not yet in the hands of the United Nations. [link\|http://www.angelfire.com/ca3/marlowe/un.iraq.complicity.html#20040705\|Home link] ---------------------------------------------------------------- Iraq is free, and there's nothing you can do about it. DEAL WITH IT. Americans: a pack, not a herd. Never mind the nerve gas. Where's the, um... "It\ufffds Warholian: in the future, all conflicts will be Vietnam for 15 minutes." - Lileks [link\|http://www.angelfire.com/ca3/marlowe/index.html\|http://www.angelfire...arlowe/index.html]
Post #162,854 by deSitter 7/5/04 10:56:18 AM Reply	Meet Mr. Fist and his Five Knuckles! -drl
Post #162,860 by marlowe 7/5/04 11:11:54 AM Reply	Mommy, he hit me! Goodness, people are so intolerant sometimes. ---------------------------------------------------------------- "All the news you wish would go away" Iraq is free, and there's nothing you can do about it. DEAL WITH IT. [link\|http://www.angelfire.com/ca3/marlowe/index.html\|http://www.angelfire...arlowe/index.html]
Post #162,943 by broomberg 7/5/04 7:08:37 PM Reply	C'mon Ross We've (or at least I have) been hearing about corrupt UN people making $$ in the oil for food program. No reason Marlowe can't bring it up, no matter how much of an asshole he is.

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