The President and The Arms Dealer
07/10/2019
Read the new CORRECTIV investigation
Lebanese businessman Ahmad El Husseini has long helped the German arms industry win business in the Middle East.
CORRECTIV have now uncovered that he was involved in brokering a large ammunitions package, which shipbuilder ThyssenKrupp purchased from another German defence company, Rheinmetall – except that Mr. El Husseini acted as a middle man with an unclear role.
At the end of a dubious flow of money via Singapore and Abu Dhabi, about 50 million euros never arrived at Rheinmetall and is now disputed.
Further, CORRECTIV found that Mr. El Husseini also maintained excellent contacts among some German politicians. And he sent expensive wine hampers to them, including the current German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. At the time of the gifts, Steinmeier was foreign minister and MP.
Steinmeier was involved in the German government's decision to approve the export of two frigates to Algeria – for which Mr. El Husseini brokered the ammunition.
There is nothing to suggest that the wine hampers influenced any decisions (and that would be hard to imagine), but questions remain.
About Correctiv
CORRECTIV is the first non-profit investigative newsroom in the German-speaking region.
CORRECTIV conduct long-term investigations into injustice and abuses of power.
CORRECTIV also initiate educational programs and promote media literacy. We finance our work through donations and contributions by citizens and foundations.
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As well as owning and publishing Comsure's copyrighted works, Comsure wishes to use the copyright-protected works of others. To do so, Comsure is applying for exemptions in the UK copyright law. There are certain very specific situations where Comsure is permitted to do so without seeking permission from the owner. These exemptions are in the copyright sections of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (as amended)[www.gov.UK/government/publications/copyright-acts-and-related-laws]. Many situations allow for Comsure to apply for exemptions. These include 1] Non-commercial research and private study, 2] Criticism, review and reporting of current events, 3] the copying of works in any medium as long as the use is to illustrate a point. 4] no posting is for commercial purposes [payment]. (for a full list of exemptions, please read here www.gov.uk/guidance/exceptions-to-copyright]. Concerning the exceptions, Comsure will acknowledge the work of the source author by providing a link to the source material. Comsure claims no ownership of non-Comsure content. The non-Comsure articles posted on the Comsure website are deemed important, relevant, and newsworthy to a Comsure audience (e.g. regulated financial services and professional firms [DNFSBs]). Comsure does not wish to take any credit for the publication, and the publication can be read in full in its original form if you click the articles link that always accompanies the news item. Also, Comsure does not seek any payment for highlighting these important articles. If you want any article removed, Comsure will automatically do so on a reasonable request if you email info@comsuregroup.com.