http://www.voanews.com/english/2004-12-09-voa73.cfmA suspected arms trafficker, accused of supplying weapons to rebel groups across Africa, has also worked as a sub-contractor with the U.S. military in Iraq. The Pentagon says it has canceled agreements with air carriers run by the suspected arms trafficker.
Until recently, the Pentagon had agreements to supply fuel to cargo airlines owned by, or run by associates of, accused arms trafficker Victor Bout.
Successive U.S. administrations have known about the Russian-based businessman's alleged involvement in the illegal arms trade. He is accused of violating United Nations sanctions by supplying weapons to some of the world's most brutal regimes and rebel groups, as well as the former Taleban government in Afghanistan. The U.S. Treasury Department has banned him from business in the United States because of his alleged involvement in flying weapons into Liberia.
Even so, the Pentagon's Defense Logistics Agency, until August, had agreements with British Gulf and Air Bas, two air carriers run by Victor Bout or his associates, which were working as sub-contractors with two U.S. air freight carriers. Jack Hooper, an agency spokesman, said "that entity was an authorized contract cargo hauler for army and Air Mobility Command, and our job as a fuel supplier is to support those military services and their authorized contractors. We wouldn't have had any reason to question their ability to buy fuel. The companies don't appear on any of the lists that would identify them as an excluded party."
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