Complaint deposited against the weapon merchants...

-Note : This is a translation of a swissinfo article.


The Swiss socialist party deposits justice complain for the public Ministry against RUAG, Thoune and Derendinger in Geneva.

It shows these two companies to have violated the legal provisions on export of weaponry.

The Swiss law prohibits the export of weaponry towards countries which violated the public international law.
However, underlines advocates it's case of the United States of Ameica and their allies which currently carry out their military operations in Iraq. And to recall that, at the time of the first war of the Gulf, the government had suspended such exports towards the areas in war, towards those where a conflict threatened and where reigned of the tensions.
Criticizing administrative slownesses Thursday, the socialist party had already denounced administrative slownesses of the Confederation. It had reproached him for not having communicated yet in writing the new restrictions as regards export of weaponry on the companies concerned. The secretary-general of the socialist party criticizes the federal authorities openly. Reto Gamma estimates that the government owed to informe the weapons merchants immediately. Derendinger did not violated the law According to the Facts magazine, the company genevoise Derendinger would have delivered to the United States of the parts for the American hunters F/a-18 after the beginning of the hostilities.
But, to believe for it Othmar Wyss, person in charge for the control of exports to the Secretariat of State to the economy (seco), the subsidiary company of the group of armament RUAG would have violated neither the law, nor the decision of the government.
In the case of Derendinger, underlines Othmar Wyss, it is necessary to take into account the fact that F/a-18 concerned with this equipment will return in service as soon as possible in a year.
What makes improbable their use in the war to Iraq. In addition, specifies Othmar Wyss, the Confederation yet officially did not inform Derendinger. Who will receive a letter these next days. As for the companies producing of the sensitive material, like ammunition, they were informed orally. And, ensures the person in charge for the seco, they promised to us that they would give up carrying out deliveries until the moment when the missive would reach them. The Audit Board enters in action However, Friday will have had to be waited - more d?une week after the beginning of the conflict in Iraq - so that the federal body of control of exports of military material begins its work. In light, for qu?il the respect guarantees the decisions taken by the federal Council on March 20. And it had not been long in appearing. Friday, it ordered the re-examination of the sale of 40 howitzers armoured with the Plain Arab Emirates. The decision to deliver these M109, equipment which the Swiss army does not need more, had been made two weeks before the release of the war in Iraq.

swissinfo and them agencies

Note : - RUAG - Derendinger and Co SA are swiss weapons factories.