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Bribery charges in defense contract case

WASHINGTON (UPI) -- The U.S. Justice Department said five people were arrested and two contractors were charged with bribery and conspiracy in defense contracts in Afghanistan.

The individuals were arrested on bribery and conspiracy charges in an indictment unsealed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Chicago, the Justice Department said.

Also charged with bribery and conspiracy were the Northern Reconstruction Organization and Naweed Bahkshi Co., the department said.

The charges arose from the individuals and contracting companies' alleged conduct in Afghanistan in 2004 and 2005. The individuals arranged the award of three Pentagon contracts worth more than $1 million at Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan, the department said.

"We will aggressively prosecute individuals and companies who line their own pockets by corrupting the bidding process for base procurement in Afghanistan," said Thomas O. Barnett, assistant attorney general in charge of the department's Antitrust Division. "These contracts were meant to protect U.S. soldiers serving their country, and we will not tolerate corruption that deprives the troops of the benefits of competitively-sourced goods and services."

Copyright 2008 by United Press International

This news arrived on: 08/27/2008

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