PEP ... GEORGIA ACCUSES FORMER MINISTER OF EXTORTION

Irakli Okruashvili (UID 212509) the former Georgia Minister of Defence, has been released on bail. Okruashvili has been accused by authorities of extortion and money laundering. In 2005 it is alleged that Okruashvili’s close friend Kiber Khalvashi (UID 716122) set up under his orders, a construction company the 'International Building Company', it is then alleged that the Ministry of Defence hired them on an exclusive basis, to do work on all its construction projects. In a separate charge Okruashvili is also said to have extorted shares worth over US$10 million in a mobile telephone company. In addition, he is also accused of money laundering. Parallel to this investigation authorities are apparently looking into the wrong doings within the Ministry of Defence itself.

Datuk Paiman Shakimon (UID 718529) has been accused of defrauding two individuals out of more than RM3m. He is reported to have claimed that he would be returning assets, which he said, were taken from Malaysia and deposited in European bank accounts during British colonial rule. Paiman is also alleged to have falsely stated that he ran an investment scheme that was approved by a bank. He has been charged with 20 counts of money laundering. He reportedly opened numerous accounts and used the money to enrich himself including among other things finance a fleet of luxury cars and to purchase real estate. He has been released on RM100,000 bail and his passport confiscated. Our research analysts will be monitoring developments in this case, but you can check out our risk and profile specific search engine News-Check to find the latest news. Use our unique News-Check application to keep abreast of developments in this fascinating case.

ANTI VICE COP CHARGED WITH MONEY LAUNDERING

The former chief of the anti-vice and gaming unit in Johor, Superintendent Azmi Osman (UID 712075) has been charged by Malaysian authorities with money laundering. He has appeared in court on two separate occasions this month. Osman will now stand trial for allegedly accepting more than RM2m from illegal activities between February and December 2002. A second charge relates to similar action by him for the amount of just under RM700,000 for the period January through October 2003. Osman has in the meantime been granted bail, but has been forced to surrender his travel documents.

DRUG CARTEL MEMBER ARRESTED IN MEXICO

Sandra Avila Beltran (UID 428933) also known as ‘The Queen of the Pacific’ is alleged to be a member of the Colombian Sinaloa narcotics cartel. In September she was arrested together with her boyfriend Juan Diego Espinoza Ramirez (UID 428936) who is linked to the Salazar Ramirez and the Norte del Valle cartels. They are both currently remanded in Federal custody in Mexico City. Avila Beltran will stand trial on charges of organized crime, conspiracy to traffic narcotics and money laundering. It is reported that she played a significant role in the organization including overseeing the shipping of cocaine from Colombia to Mexico. Check out the Display Graph on her profile to reveal her connections within the Colombian cocaine cartels.

If you ever had any doubts about the determination of the United States to block bulk-cash smuggling, read this: An illegal alien who lived in the United States, and who attempted to spirit $62,000 out of the United States, on a flight to Guatemala, is about to be deported sans $49,000 of that money. A US District Court Judge has levied a civil penalty in that amount as punishment for his attempted smuggling of the cash; the alien claims he made the money washing dishes. Is it drug profits being carried for compensation, as the government claims, or the life savings of an honest person, as the defence claims, though the facts surrounding the airport seizure indicate otherwise. …read more

Rachid Ramda (UID 41250) who is alleged to have been involved in the 1995 bomb attacks on Paris’ rail network has gone on trial in Paris. In March 2006 Ramda was found guilty of criminal association with a terrorist organization and sentenced to 10 years behind bars. His subsequent appeal against the sentence was denied. The current trial is the second trial on charges of complicity to murder and attempted murder Check out Ramda’s profile in the Reports Section of the Information field to see the time line which goes back to 1993, when he was sentenced to death in absentia for terror acts committed in his homeland.

GERMANY SENTENCES IRAQI TERRORIST

This month Burhan Barazniy (UID 457281) an Iraqi who was arrested in June 2006 has been sentenced by a German court to two and a half years behind bars. Baraznjy was accused of sending monies to Ansar al-Islam (UID 80486). He was also accused of being associated to Specially Designated Global Terrorist, Ata Abdoulaziz Rashid (UID 382625) who is a leading member of Ansar al Aslam in Europe. Rashid is on trial for plotting to assassinate the prime minister of Iran in Berlin in 2004.World-Check monitors all major watch and sanction lists and keywords them for your convenience.

In December 2005 authorities in the Czech Republic arrested Oussama Abdullah Kassir (UID 80490). He and Aswat Haroon (UID 80488) are accused of setting up a terrorist training facility in Oregan. It is alleged that Kassir also ran websites instructing users on how to make bombs and poisons. The US requested Kassir’s extradtion to face charges of providing material support to terrorists and in September Kassir was transferred to their custody. He has pleaded not guilty to all of the charges and is scheduled to make his second appearance in a US court in November 2007.

The judge in the Toledo court trial of five terrorist suspects has rescheduled the trial from January to March 2008. The five, Mohammad Zaki Amawi (UID 419006), Marwan Othman El-Hindi (UID 419007), Wassim Mazloum (UID 419003), Zubair Ahmed (UID 572702) and Khaleel Ahmed (UID 572701) have been charged on counts of conspiracy to kill, kidnap, maim or injure people outside the United States, and also for providing material support to terrorists and also distributing information regarding explosives. Two of the accused Amwai and El-Hindi are being held in custody, the others are under house arrest.

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