Frans van Anraat
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221599485
2008-06-25T06:23:13Z
Rjwilmsi
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{{Infobox Criminal
| image_name = Replace this image male.svg <!-- Only freely-licensed images may be used to depict living people. See [[WP:NONFREE]]. -->
| subject_name = Frans van Anraat
| image_size =
| image_caption =
| date_of_birth = {{birth date and age|1942|8|9}}
| place_of_birth = {{flagicon|Netherlands}} [[Den Helder]], [[Netherlands]]
| date_of_death =
| place_of_death =
| charge = [[War crime]]s
| penalty = 17 years imprisonment
| status = In prison
| occupation = [[Chemist]]
| spouse =
| parents =
| children =
}}
'''Frans Cornelis Adrianus van Anraat''' (born [[August 9]], [[1942]] in [[Den Helder]]) is a [[Netherlands|Dutch]] businessman who sold raw materials for the production of [[chemical weapons]] to [[Iraq]] during the reign of [[Saddam Hussein]].
==Business in Iraq==
During the 1970s Van Anraat worked at engineering companies in [[Italy]], [[Switzerland]] and [[Singapore]] that were building chemical plants in Iraq. Having learned about the trade in chemicals, he founded his own company, "FCA Contractor", based in [[Bissone]], Switzerland. From [[1984]] he supplied thousands of tons of chemicals to Iraq. Among these chemicals were the essential raw materials for producing [[mustard gas]] and [[nerve gas]].<ref> {{cite web
|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4360137.stm
|title=Dutchman in Iraq genocide charges
|date=2005-03-18
|accessdate=
|publisher=BBC}}</ref> Both gases were used during the [[Iran-Iraq war]] between 1980-1988 as well as during the [[Halabja poison gas attack]] the military carried out on Iraqi [[Kurds]] in [[1988]], in which some 5,000 people were killed. This attack was part of the [[Al-Anfal campaign]] of the Iraqi regime against Kurds in the north of the country.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.iranmania.com/News/ArticleView/Default.asp?NewsCode=38327&NewsKind=Current%20Affairs
|title=Dutchman 'knew possible fatal use of chemicals'
|date=2005-12-03
|accessdate=2007-05-09
|publisher=IranMania.com
}}</ref>
==Arrest and trial==
After his arrest and release in Italy in [[1989]], Van Anraat fled to Iraq, where he lived for the next 14 years.<ref name="BBC">{{cite web
|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4358741.stm
|title=Saddam's 'Dutch link'
|date=2005-12-23
|publisher=BBC
|accessdate=2007-05-09
}}</ref> When Saddam's regime fell in [[2003]], Van Anraat returned to the Netherlands. He was arrested on [[december 6]], [[2004]] for complicity to [[war crimes]] and [[genocide]]. On [[December 23]], [[2005]], he was sentenced to fifteen years in prison for complicity to war crimes, but the court argued the charges of complicity to genocide could not be substantiated.<ref name="NOSFBI">{{cite web
|url=http://www.nos.nl/nosjournaal/artikelen/2005/6/10/100605anraatportret.html
|title=Van Anraat, most wanted by the FBI
|language=Dutch
|date=2005-06-23
|publisher=NOS
|accessdate=2007-05-09
}}</ref><ref name="BBC"/> Both the public prosecutor as well as van Anraat appealed the verdict. In May 2007, the appeal court sentenced van Anraat to seventeen years in prison, this time for complicity to multiple war crimes which explains the two extra years, but not for complicity to genocide.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.nu.nl/news/1071756/13/Hof_veroordeelt_Van_Anraat_tot_zeventien_jaar_cel.html
|title=Hof veroordeelt Van Anraat tot zeventien jaar cel
|language=Dutch
|date=2007-05-09
|publisher=Nu.nl
|accessdate=2007-05-09
}}</ref>
This case was also notable because it established that the chemical bombings in North Iraq constituted [[genocide]] according to the [[Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide]]. Van Anraat is the only Dutchman ever to appear on the [[FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives|FBI's most wanted list]].<ref name="NOSFBI"/>
==Relation with Dutch secret service==
Shortly after the arrest of Van Anraat, several Dutch newspapers reported that Van Anraat had been an informant of the Dutch [[secret service]], the [[AIVD]].<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.nos.nl/nieuws/artikelen/2004/12/20/vananraatwasinformantaivd.html
|title="Van Anraat was informant AIVD"
|date=2004-12-20
|accessdate=2007-05-09
|language=Dutch}}</ref> According to the Dutch press, Van Anraat received protection from the AIVD and was placed in a [[safehouse]] of the [[Ministry of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations]] in Amsterdam.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.novatv.nl/index.cfm?fuseaction=videoaudio.details&reportage_id=3115
|title=VAN ANRAAT ZAT IN SAFEHOUSE AIVD
|date=2004-12-20
|accessdate=2007-05-09
|publisher=Nova
|language=Dutch}}</ref>
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
*[http://www.trial-ch.org/trialwatch/profiles/en/legalprocedures/p286.html Trial Watch: Frans Van Anraat]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Anraat, Frans Van}}
[[Category:1942 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Dutch businesspeople]]
[[Category:Dutch criminals]]
[[Category:People from Den Helder]]
[[Category:Dutch people convicted of war crimes]]
[[Category:Dutch prisoners and detainees]]
[[Category:Dutch people imprisoned abroad]]
[[Category:Prisoners and detainees of Italy]]
[[Category:Prisoners and detainees of the Netherlands]]
[[de:Frans van Anraat]]
[[fa:فرانس فان آنرات]]
[[nl:Frans van Anraat]]
[[sl:Frans van Anraat]]