Merex produced police equipment – binoculars, bullet-proof…

“Britain’s industry was kept buoyant by the decline of Empire, for as countries gained their independence they sought arms to enhance their status and…

— Andrew Feinstein

“The deal, together with other initiatives to extend its military influence in the region, would culminate in the US using the kingdom as a…

— Andrew Feinstein

“Chinese authorities coveted a powerful and accurate 120mm cannon produced by the huge German conglomerate Rheinmetall. Mertins acquired the plans of the cannon and…

— Andrew Feinstein

“Although the FBI and later the 9/11 Commission ultimately stated that the money was not intentionally being diverted to fund terrorists,9 investigators were surprised…

— Andrew Feinstein

“The arms trade – an intricate web of networks between the formal and shadow worlds, between government, commerce and criminality – often makes us…

— Andrew Feinstein

“Over time, the Saudis gave $32m to the Contras.86 The routing of this money was linked to the AWACS sale in that a fund…

— Andrew Feinstein

“general amorality of the weapons business in their disdain for any kind of control over the arms trade, their dislike of attempts to promote…

— Andrew Feinstein

“Caught between two global forces, Gehlen and Wessel chose the West. Coming to this realization, Gehlen and his organization made plans. Large dossiers of…

— Andrew Feinstein

“the biggest problem the Saudis had to contend with was the inadequacies of Airwork, the providers of the training and maintenance contracts. The company’s…

— Andrew Feinstein

“Unwilling to borrow substantially from abroad, the Saudis’ profligate arms spending was under threat. Some of the equipment bought under the first phase of…

— Andrew Feinstein

“To secure a contract, a company must secure the support not merely of a senior prince, often through an established agent through whom very…

— Andrew Feinstein

“In August, Gehlen and a number of high-ranking colleagues were transported under Boker’s watch to Washington in the private plane of a US General…

— Andrew Feinstein

“Mertins frequently upset his handlers, often selling to countries that were considered, at the very least, anti-American. His relationship with US Intelligence ended in…

— Andrew Feinstein

“vividly revealed the arms industry’s ‘constant tendency towards bribery, and the playing off of one country against another to sell arms’. It also exposed…

— Andrew Feinstein

“In September 1952, he travelled to Egypt to participate in a bizarre project that was to provide an entrée to the world of arms…

— Andrew Feinstein