George

From the Report on the Manipulation of the Oil-for-Food Programme (27 October 2005):

V. OTHER POLITICAL BENEFICIARIES
A. GEORGE GALLOWAY
The Government of Iraq did not give preference to companies based in the United Kingdom in
determining oil allocations under the Programme. Nonetheless, a total of over 18 million barrels
of oil were allocated either directly in the name of George Galloway, a member of the British
Parliament, or in the name of one of his associates, Fawaz Abdullah Zureikat (“Fawaz Zureikat”),
to support Mr. Galloway’s campaign against the sanctions. Mr. Zureikat was a prominent
Jordanian businessman. Mr. Zureikat received commissions for handling the sale of
approximately 11 million barrels that were allocated in Mr. Galloway’s name.
Both Mr. Galloway and Mr. Zureikat have denied that Mr. Galloway was involved in obtaining
the oil allocations or receiving any proceeds from the oil sales. Each of them has acknowledged,
however, that Mr. Zureikat made large donations to the Mariam Appeal, a United Kingdom-based
campaign for the lifting of sanctions against Iraq. Mr. Galloway was the founder of this
organization. Mr. Galloway has denied that he was aware of the source of Mr. Zureikat’s
donations. According to Iraqi officials, another oil beneficiary, Burhan Al-Chalabi, also received
an allocation intended to benefit the Mariam Appeal. A portion of the profits from this allocation
was deposited into an account of Mr. Galloway’s wife, Amineh Naji Daoud Abu Zayyad, who
was also involved with the Mariam Appeal.