PRESS RELEASE

16 October 2001

Loophole in new law could allow British dealers to arm terrorist groups

- Government breaks manifesto commitment - 

New proposals for legislation being debated in Parliament today could still allow British arms brokers to organise weapons shipments to terrorist organisations and governments guilty of gross human rights abuses.  There is a serious loophole in the Export Control Bill caused by the Government breaking an election manifesto pledge.  The UK Working Group on Arms is urging the Government to honour its commitment and introduce comprehensive controls to stop British arms dealers arming terrorist groups and regimes that violate human rights.

The Labour Party pledged in its election manifesto “to introduce a licensing system to control the activities of arms brokers and traffickers wherever they are located.”  However, a loophole in the new Bill would not stop British arms brokers from organising the transfer of combat helicopters, tanks or machine guns from an overseas country to terrorist groups.  By crossing to Ireland to do the deal, a British broker would evade the new controls.

There is increasing evidence that arms brokers have been responsible for large supplies of weapons to human rights abusers, rebel groups and conflict zones.  Kofi Annan, the UN Secretary-General, said last year “Particularly close attention needs to be paid to the role of private arms merchants and in supplying weapons to areas of actual or potential conflict.  The goal of public identification of international arms merchants and their activities has proved elusive, but perhaps no other single initiative would do more to combat the flow of illicit arms…”

Paul Eavis, Director of Saferworld, said: “In the current situation, it is more vital than ever to control illicit arms supplies.  It is alarming that a loophole in this Bill could enable British dealers to supply weapons to terrorist groups in Syria, Pakistan, Indonesia or the Philippines that then endanger the lives of ordinary people.  We urge the Government to keep its manifesto commitment and control this deadly trade.”

For more information, please contact:

Michael Crowley at BASIC: +44-(0)207-407-2977
Andy McLean at Saferworld: +44-(0)207-881-9290, +44-(0)7947-049357
Neil Durkin at Amnesty International: +44-(0)207-814-6241
Helen Palmer at Oxfam: +44-(0)1865-312498
Sarah Meek at International Alert: +44-(0)207-793-8383
Malcolm Rodgers at Christian Aid: +44-(0)207-523-2035

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