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American press, he is said to be responsible for laundering the funds of the Colombian left insurrection organization FARC, which carries out an armed struggle with the official authorities, supported by the narcotics business." In March of 2002 Interfax reported that, through his long-time business partner Badri Patarkatsishvili, Berezovskii had "supplied Chechen figures Kazbek Makhashev and Movladi Udugov with money to purchase the raid against Dagestan. According to witnesses, Berezovskii contributed 30 million rubles for the purpose".’” This payment, amounting to more than $1 million, if it occurred, may have been only one of several intended to underwrite a "short victorious war" in Dagestan. 2 "Berezovskii Sponsored Dagestan Raid, Top Policeman's Abduction—Prosecutors", Interfax, 5 March 2002. A well-known journalist for RFE-RL, Andrei Babitskii, who frequently visited Chechnya during this period and was acquainted with a number of leading separatists, writes that he can confirm that Berezovskii did indeed speak by telephone with both Basaev and Movladi Udugov at this juncture. See Andrei Babibitskii, "Na voine”, hro.org, 2 March 2004. Dunlop's massively documented essay is 52 pages long, with 142 footnotes. But having thus provocatively included references to both Khashoggi and narcotics, Dunlop does not mention either again. Khashoggi's Interest in Chechnya journalist for RFE-RL, Andrei Babitskii, who frequently visited Chechnya Just as Berezovsky was at one point the richest man in Russia, during this period and was acquainted with a number of leading so Khashoggi was once (according to his American biographer) separatists, writes that he can confirm that Berezovskii did indeed speak "the richest man in the world". At one point, indeed, Khashoggi by telephone with both Basaev and Movladi Udugov at this juncture. See had an influence in American politics analogous to Berezovsky's Andrei Babibitskii, "Na voine”, hro.org, 2 March 2004. in Russia. For example, Khashoggi attended both Nixon inaugurals and contributed Dunlop is not alone in suspecting the hand money to his election campaigns. He of Berezovsky behind Voloshin's meeting admitted to giving $58,000 in 1968, but with Basaev. So does Cockburn's source, allegedly told Pierre Salinger he gave $1 Boris Kagarlitsky (about whom we shall million in rane also arranged a Fane. Just as Berezovsky reve gore to say ne Russian apserver raising event for Jimmy Carter's Center in . ilia Shevtsova reports a rumour at this time Plains, Georgia—an event which probably was at one point the that Berezovsky himself, along with his originated from Khashoggi's and Carter's i i i agent Alexander Voloshin, had met in connections to the Bank of Credit and richest ify Eo Russia, France with Basaev in the summer of 1999, Commerce International (BCCI).* so Khashoggi was once just before the Dagestan invasion of August Khashoggi is usually thought of as an "the richest man in 2nd." arms salesman. Although he has never been a directly linked to the drug traffic, he was the world D Dunlop's Redactions of His Source intimately involved in the affairs of the drug- Yasenev money-laundering BCCI, with which ie arranged an arms shipment as part of Oliver North's dealings in Iran—Contra.** He also became notorious for flying into Las Vegas from abroad and then rapidly losing vast sums of cash at the casino tables— a traditional form of money- laundering.” His name has surfaced in connection with a number of other scandals, from the illicit real estate ventures of the Marcos family in New York to a major defrauding of a Thai Though he says nothing more about Khashoggi or drugs, Dunlop does however make one more reference to the alleged drug-money-launderer Alfonso Davidovich [pp. 42-43]: "It soon emerged," Versiya continued, "that a very frequent visitor to Davidovich was a certain French businessman of Israeli-Soviet origin, a native of Sokhumi [Abkhazia], 53-year- old Yakov Kosman.""! Soon Kosman brought with him six persons who arrived via Austria carrying Turkish ank in 1998, which was followed by passports.”*| In one of the passports the Asian financial c: . the French [authorities] identified a Khashoggi had had a financial interest in Chechnya and certain Tsveiba, who is accused by the Tbilisi authorities of connections with its leaders since 1996, from his participation in a having committed genocide during the Georgia-Abkhaz conflict." consortium called Caucasian Common Market AO. This was All of the visitors settled into the villa for a three weeks' stay. designed to raise US$3 billion in the West and Japan for "Soon," the account continues, "the special services succeeded investment in Chechnya.** A principal organiser was former in establishing that Kosman and Tsveiba went to the Nice airport, Chechen First Deputy Premier Khozh-Akhmed Nukhaev, in where they met two men who had arrived from Paris. Judging conjunction with Lord McAlpine of the Goldsmith family from their documents, one of those who arrived was Sultan interests in London and also American capital.** But according to Sosnaliev, who in the years of the Georgian-Abkhaz war served as the late Paul Klebnikov, Nukhaev had a background in Chechen the minister of defense of Abkhazia."""! Second there emerged organised crime before developing "a radical ideology in line with —_ from the airport one more native of Sokhumi—Anton Surikov. At one point, indeed, Khashoggi had an influence in American politics analogous to Berezovsky's in Russia. the one espoused by Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda network" .** According to rumors, during the years of the war in Abkhazia, he Despite this background, Nukhaev found support and financing was subordinated to Sosnaliev and was responsible for questions in Washington for his Caucasian—American Chamber of of the organization of sabotage and was friendly with field Commerce. According to one source, in 1997 Khashoggi commander Shamil' Basaev, who at that time headed the Chechen introduced Nukhaev to former US Secretary of State James battalion." Baker.** However, Dunlop's inquiry is focused not on Khashoggi The next arrival came by sea: "According to the precise but on Berezovsky and his representative Voloshin in the Kremlin information of the French and the Israelis, on 3 July at the port of [p. 45]: Beaulieu a private English yacht 'Magiya' [Magic] arrived from Just as Berezovsky was at one point the richest man in Russia, so Khashoggi was once “the richest man in the world". At one point, indeed, Khashoggi had an influence in American politics analogous to Berezovsky's in Russia. 28 = NEXUS JUNE — JULY 2006 www.nexusmagazine.com