Group Responds to FOX Oil-for-Food Story

Group Responds to FOX Oil-for-Food Story
Monday, October 18, 2004

NEW YORK — In the wake of a FOX News Channel Sept. 19 news documentary, Breaking Point: "United Nations Blood Money", and a story that first appeared on FOXNews.com on Sept. 17, FOX News received a written statement from the Hayel Saeed Anam Group on Oct. 8.

Click here for the FOXNews.com story.

Click here for the Hayel Saeed Anam Group site.

In the statement, the company states that Abdul Rahman Hayel Saeed, a corporate director, had a business relationship with Ahmed Idris Nasruddin dating back to 1982. But the relationship ended acrimoniously in 1984, and there have been no business dealings between the parties for 20 years.

Hayel Saeed Anam Group further states that while there was a valid power of attorney given by Saeed to Nasruddin in 1982, it merely authorized him "to sign in the name of the principal [Saeed] acting as founding partner, the public deed of establishment of the Association Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Tourism for the Arab Gulf States and Switzerland [later re-named MIGA]." Saeed says that he was unaware that MIGA had in fact ever been established.

The company states that this was not a continuing power of attorney to Nasruddin and that any subsequent use by Nasruddin was not valid or authorized.

The statement also claims that the participation in the Oil-for-Food program of Pacific Interlink, a Hayel Saeed Anam subsidiary, was above board, and Pacific Interlink denies being involved in any kick back payments to Iraq.

FOX News' continued offers to interview Abdul Rahman Hayel Saeed, or a spokesperson from Hayel Saeed Anam Group, on-camera for this story, have been declined.