The report from the Independent Inquiry Committee into the United Nation Iraq Oil for Food programme has revealed that more than 30 print firms were involved in the scandal between 1996 and 2003.

Suppliers of printing machinery, paper, and inks from countries including Jordan, China and Egypt are alleged to have paid the Iraqi government to secure contracts under the guise of the supply of humanitarian supplies.

While most printing suppliers were from the Middle East others, including companies from Germany and Russia were mentioned, although they generally also supplied a large number of non-printing items.

The committee report said the majority of payments "were disguised by various subterfuges" not disclosed by Iraq or the participating contractors, although some companies claim they were unaware of the payments.

According to the report, Iraqi officials often claimed at the time that the payments were for transport or after-sales service fees, which often allowed the companies involved to reclaim the payments from the UN Oil-for-Food account, funded by Iraqi oil.

Visit: www.iic-offp.org.

Alleged payments
Papyrus Co Paper
Converting (Youssef Allam
& Co) (Egypt)
Payment: $109,882
Contract value: $1.2m
For: Paper and printing machinery

Arab Paper Converting & Trading Co (Jordan)
Payment: $173,176
Contract value: $1.9m
For: Copybooks, inks and paper

Technology Transfer (Jordan)
Payment: $998,761
Contract: more than 10m
For: Printing machinery and supplies, paper, and educational materials

Itani Printing & Trading IPT (Lebanon)
Payment: $859,864
Contract: $9.4m
For: Paper, computers, offset ink, printers and cartridges