German trader charged over arms exports to Iraq

A German businessman has been charged over the illegal export of 15 armoured cars to Iraq and Afghanistan via Britain, German newspaper Bild reported on Monday. The 43-year-old man, who was not named by the paper, is accused of breaking German law by having the vehicles shipped to the British government in 2003. From Britain, the armoured cars were sent on to Iraq and Afghanistan, Frank Tiemann, a spokesman for a court in the eastern city of Potsdam, told Bild.
"The accused broke the law on exports because the deal was apparently done without the necessary authorisation," Tiemann said.
The accused argues that he would have lost the 1.8 million euro (2.3 million dollar) contract to a non-German firm if he had waited for the authorisation, Bild said.