Kurd fighter in Iraq
Photo: AP
Defense Ministry probes 'Iraq affair'
Official investigation launched into Israeli activities in northern Iraq as revealed by Yedioth Ahronoth last week. Ministry sources say were not aware of the unauthorized activity, criminal investigation may follow
The Defense Ministry has started collecting testimonies from people related to the involvement
of Israeli companies in training Kurdish security men in northern Iraq, Israel's leading newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported Monday.
According to the report, ministry officials were astonished to discover the scope of Israeli activity in northern Iraq, claiming that companies operated in the region were obligated to report their endeavors to the ministry and receive special permission allowing them to export security knowledge abroad.
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Ministry sources admitted they were completely unaware of these operations.
Defense Ministry Director of Security Yehiel Horev has summoned to his office the companies heads involved in the lucrative deals with the Kurdish government, in a bid to asses whether their overseas operations constituted a criminal offense.
"The subject is currently under inspection by the security director, and will be handed over to the police if the findings call for it," the ministry's spokeswoman stated.
Unauthorized export of military knowledge
Several days ago Yedioth Ahronoth revealed that dozens of Israelis with a background in elite military combat training had been working for private Israeli companies in northern Iraq where they helped the Kurds establish elite anti-terror units.
According to the report, the Kurdish government contracted Israeli security and communications companies to train Kurdish security forces and provide them with advanced equipment.
Motorola Inc. and Magalcom Communications and Computers won contracts with the Kurdish government to the tune of hundreds of millions of U.S. dollars.
The flagship of the contracts was the construction of an international airport in the northern Kurdish city of Ibril, a stepping stone towards the fulfillment of Kurdish national aspirations for independence.
Ever since the affair was exposed, the Defense Ministry has insisted it had no prior knowledge of the military training services rendered to the Kurds by Israeli companies, and that it was only aware of business operations providing civilian equipment to the region.
Sources at the ministry also stressed that the enterprises that acted in Iraq should have obtained special permissions, as part of a decree on the supervision of the export of military equipment and knowledge abroad.
Anat Tal-Shir contributed to the report
