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Illegal Arms Deals to Iran, Libya Traced to Malaysia's Elite

[Asia Times] Ioannis Gatsiouis - When Abdullah Badawi became Malaysia's prime minister in 2003, many thought the mild-mannered leader would take a more moderate approach to international relations. But a string of scandals and crimes with international dimensions, some even linked to Abdullah's family members, have put his government's relations with Washington on an uncomfortable footing. U.S. authorities last month arrested and charged Pakistani national Jilani Humayun for his alleged role in shipping contraband military goods to Malaysia, from where they were re-exported to Iran. The sensitive dual-use hardware, which was funneled through an as yet unnamed Malaysian company, included parts for F-5 and F-14 fighter jets and Chinook helicopters. So far there is no evidence to link recent violations of the U.S. embargo directly to Abdullah. But recent security lapses have been traced to the highest echelons of Malaysia's business and political elite, raising questions about Abdullah's underlying foreign-policy objectives. Abdullah's son-in-law Khairy Jamaluddin this month attempted to silence an opposition leader by labeling him "a puppet of the United States and the Jews."
2007-08-28 01:00:00
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