Sudan aid 'flown on gun-running planes'

The British Government has been sending aid to Sudan and elsewhere in Africa on airlines accused by the UN of gunrunning.

Yesterday, the Department for International Development (DfID) suspended all future contracts with Buraq Air, its main operator of relief flights to Sudan, and launched an inquiry after the Evening Standard told it about the firm's record.

The DfID used Libya-based Buraq as recently as two weeks ago and another cargo airline, Aerocom, in February. Evening Standard has learned both are named in an official UN Security Council report as being involved in the illegal smuggling or attempted smuggling of nearly 6,000 automatic rifles and machineguns, 4,500 grenades, 350 missile launchers, 7,500 landmines and millions of rounds of ammunition from Serbia to Liberia, in breach of a UN arms embargo.

Liberian-supplied arms have been used by rebels to attack British troops in Sierra Leone.

As Foreign Secretary Jack Straw held talks with Sudan's President al-Bashir, Menzies Campbell, the Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokesman, said it was "extraordinary" that the DfID had relied on "airlines with such a chequered past".

Six illegal arms shipments to Liberia, worth at least ?1 million, took place in 2002, according to the UN. Aerocom flew the first four, but was then prevented from flying the remainder by the Serbian authorities. Instead, the companies brokering the arms asked for Buraq to fly the fifth shipment. Buraq made a false flight application, claiming the arms were to go to Nigeria. It was refused by the Serbs because the airline was based in Libya.

According to Civil Aviation Authority records, available online, Buraq's aircraft numbered 5A-DMQ made two flights for the DfID from Manston in Kent to Nyala, Darfur, between 4 and 9 August. Buraq also flew two DfID aid shipments on the same route in June.

In a statement, the DfID said that it worked to "the highest ethical standards" and did not know either Buraq's or Aerocom's backgrounds when it hired them.

Aerocom was unavailable for comment. Buraq's acting cargo manager Abdulrazzak Shellig said he did not dispute the UN report but insisted his company's involvement with Liberia was innocent.