Alberigo Alesi

Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Panama and the Bahamas were key elements in the offshore shell company and money-laundering schemes that bankrolled Saddam Hussein for more than 20 years.And Saddam used the same offshore money launderers as Osama bin Laden. His offshore network hid the money skimmed from government oil sales and collected in kickbacks. It was used to pay for Saddam's secret agents and security forces, reward domestic and foreign friends, and buy arms during international embargos.