US Senate in UN oil deal claim

THE US Senate claims it has Iraqi documents that provide new evidence that the former head of the UN oil-for-food programme made up to €1.25 million through oil deals with Saddam Hussein’s government.

The Senate Governmental Affairs investigations subcommittee says the documents suggest Benon Sevan did not merely serve as intermediary in Iraqi oil sales, as investigators have alleged, but may have benefited financially.

Sevan, a Cypriot who faces UN disciplinary charges, has denied wrongdoing.

The €50 billion oil-for-food programme was to have allowed Saddam Hussein’s government to sell oil and use proceeds to buy food and other humanitarian items. It is the subject of a series of investigations because of allegations Hussein manipulated the program.