The US government is seeking evidence linking Usama Bin Ladin — its prime suspect behind the September 11 terrorist attacks — with the gum Arabic industry in Sudan, a US State Department spokesman said Thursday, September 20.
Gum Arabic is imported into the United States under special licenses and is a key ingredient in many soft drinks, food products, inks and glues. Newspaper reports dating back years have alleged that in the 1990s Bin Ladin held a stake in The Gum Arabic Company of Sudan Ltd, which controls all gum Arabic exports from Sudan.
The company has denied any connection to him. "We have no information to substantiate these allegations about gum Arabic; however, we are looking into this and all other information as to the assets of Usama Bin Ladin," the State Department spokesman said, asking not to be named.
"We urge other nations to share with us any specific information on gum Arabic or any other leads on Bin Ladin's assets immediately," he added. "Now more than ever it is critical that existing agreements to track and freeze terrorist assets be implemented to their fullest by the international community."
A source in the gum Arabic industry, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the reports of Bin Ladin's involvement in gum Arabic production had been laid to rest years ago. The allegations had unleashed a fierce reaction among some people since resurfacing, however.
Some warehouses holding products containing gum Arabic had received anonymous threats that unless they removed the products from their shelves, "somebody is going to come and blow them up," the source said. "If there was proof that Bin Ladin had any connection with the industry they (members of the industry) would just as soon close down their business," the source added.
The National Soft Drink Association issued a statement Monday saying "rumors and several erroneous media reports" had linked Bin Ladin to a number of organizations and industries worldwide.
"American industries that utilize gum Arabic from Sudan — confectionery, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, dietary fiber, printing and some citrus-based soft drinks — obtain the final form of the product from domestic importers under the licensed approval of the US State Department," it said.
The association also noted a September 1998 report in the Baltimore Sun saying Bin Ladin had divested himself of all Sudanese holdings when he was expelled from Sudan in 1996. The Gum Arabic Company of Sudan had repeatedly denied any Bin Ladin involvement in the gum Arabic market in Sudan, the National Soft Drink Association said. — (AFP, Washington)
© Agence France Presse 2001
© 2001 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
