China is accused of attempting to send $1 billion worth of drones to Libyan warlord Khalifa Haftar , disguised as Covid-19 aid , through the assistance of corrupt UN officials, according to a Canadian government investigator. New court documents detail a conspiracy involving Chinese state officials, who allegedly sought to conceal the arms shipment by labelling it as humanitarian support.
The documents reveal that from 2018 to 2021, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police uncovered plots, including FBI intercepts , that implicated the sale of Libya n oil to China alongside the drone deal, as per Fox News. “The Chinese government seems to have approved a strategy to aid Libya in the procurement and delivery of military equipment through designated and approved companies to obscure the direct involvement of government agencies,” the investigator said.
Two Libyan nationals employed by the International Civil Aviation Organization were charged with conspiracy related to the scheme in April. A preliminary hearing is set for the spring. The investigation suggests that this scheme aimed to circumvent UN sanctions in place at the time.
Haftar, who controls eastern Libya and is backed by Russia, previously attempted to seize control of western Libya in 2020. The drones were intended for "using war to end war quickly" without drawing the attention of the international community, as “the fight against the Coronavirus” served as a convenient cover.
Fathi Ben Ahmed Mhaouek, one of the Libyan nationals involved, has been arrested, while his counterpart, Mahmud Mohamed Elsuwaye Sayeh, remains at large. The court documents also mention a US citizen involved in the conspiracy, although he has not been charged. Mhaouek’s lawyer, Andrew Barbacki, asserts, “My client will plead not guilty - he denies all wrongdoing.”
The documents reveal that from 2018 to 2021, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police uncovered plots, including FBI intercepts , that implicated the sale of Libya n oil to China alongside the drone deal, as per Fox News. “The Chinese government seems to have approved a strategy to aid Libya in the procurement and delivery of military equipment through designated and approved companies to obscure the direct involvement of government agencies,” the investigator said.
Two Libyan nationals employed by the International Civil Aviation Organization were charged with conspiracy related to the scheme in April. A preliminary hearing is set for the spring. The investigation suggests that this scheme aimed to circumvent UN sanctions in place at the time.
Haftar, who controls eastern Libya and is backed by Russia, previously attempted to seize control of western Libya in 2020. The drones were intended for "using war to end war quickly" without drawing the attention of the international community, as “the fight against the Coronavirus” served as a convenient cover.
Fathi Ben Ahmed Mhaouek, one of the Libyan nationals involved, has been arrested, while his counterpart, Mahmud Mohamed Elsuwaye Sayeh, remains at large. The court documents also mention a US citizen involved in the conspiracy, although he has not been charged. Mhaouek’s lawyer, Andrew Barbacki, asserts, “My client will plead not guilty - he denies all wrongdoing.”
