Mertins decided to get even. He rifled through der…

“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

“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

“Merex produced police equipment – binoculars, bullet-proof jackets, radios and so on.”

— 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

“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