jim writes: A report from the Portugal News>:

"US Arms Group Heads for Lisbon"

Directors of one of the world's largest armament companies are planning on
meeting in Lisbon in three weeks time. The American based Carlyle Group is
heavily involved in supplying arms to the Coalition forces fighting in the
Iraqi war.It also holds a majority of shares in the Seven Up company and Federal Data
Corporation, supplier of air traffic control surveillance systems to the US
Federal Aviation Authority. The 12 billion dollar company has recently
signed contracts with United Defence Industries to equip the Turkish and
Saudi Arabian armies with aviation defence systems.

Top of the meeting's agenda is expected to be the company's involvement in
the rebuilding of Baghdad's infrastructure after the cessation of current
hostilities. Along with several other US companies, the Carlyle Group is
expected to be awarded a billion dollar contract by the US Government to
help in the redevelopment of airfields and urban areas destroyed by
Coalition aerial bombardments.

The Group is managed by a team of former US Government personnel including
its president Frank Carlucci, former deputy director of the CIA before
becoming Defence Secretary. His deputy is James Baker II, who was Secretary
of State under George Bush senior. Several high profile former politicians
are employed to represent the company overseas, among them John Major,
former British Prime Minister, along with George Bush senior, one time CIA
director before becoming US President.

The financial assets of the Saudi Binladen Corporation (SBC) are also
managed by the Carlyle Group. The SBC is headed up by members of Osama bin
Laden's family, who played a principle role in helping George W. Bush win
petroleum concessions from Bahrain when he was head of the Texan oil
company, Harken Energy Corporation -- a deal that was to make the Bush family
millions of dollars. Salem, Osama bin Laden's brother, was represented on
Harken's board of directors by his American agent, James R. Bath.

The connection between the Bush and bin Laden families can also be traced to
the collapse of the Bank of Credit and Commerce International (BCCI) in the
1990s. Members of the Anglo Pakistani bank's board of directors included
Richard Helmes and William Casey, business partners of George Bush senior
and former CIA agents. During their time at BCCI both Helmes and Casey
worked alongside fellow director, Adnan Khasshoggi, who also represented the
bin Laden family's interests in the US.

The Portugal News has been told by a reliable source that the Carlyle Group
meeting in Lisbon will discuss the relationship between the Saudi Binladen
Corporation (SBC) and Osama bin Laden. Many US officials claim that the SBC
continues to finance his political activities, and has done so for many
years. If true, this would place George Bush senior and his colleagues at
the Carlyle Group in an embarrassing position. As managers of SBC's
financial investments they might well be accused of indirectly aiding and
abetting the United States' number one enemy.