AUSTRALIA - Newman distances himself from FBI review

OFF THE WIRE
Bridie Jabour
Liberal National Party leader Campbell Newman has distanced himself from his brother-in-law's company, which has become the subject of an FBI review.
brisbanetimes.com.au revealed this morning Seb Monsour's Majella Global Technologies was subject of a review in to how it allegedly obtained technology developed by the American Department of Defence.
The allegations being reviewed centre on whether an employee of American company Global Relief Technologies inappropriately gave details of that company's technology to the company Majella Global Technologies, of which Mr Monsour is global chief executive.
The technology was developed by the American Department of Defence and comes under American state trade secret laws.
Mr Newman told reporters in Townsville he was not involved in Mr Monsour's business dealings.
"I don't know anything about his business interests," he told reporters.
"I'm not involved in them, and neither is my wife.
"That (Lisa Newman's time as company secretary) is a matter of public record, that was for a matter of three weeks, 12 months ago."
Majella Global Technologies was set up in January last year as Invictus Solutions Pty Ltd with Lisa Newman, Mr Newman's wife, as secretary, although she stepped down after three weeks.
The company offered their services to the state government to help with the flood recovery effort with costings running up to $29 million.
Mr Newman said his brother-in-law had done nothing wrong and accused deputy premier Andrew Fraser of somehow having a hand in the FBI review.
Those allegations were echoed by Mr Monsour, who issued a statement this morning.
"It's unfortunate that we've become the centre of political opportunism and are being taken advantage of at a time when Anna Bligh's government and its treasurer Andrew Fraser have many challenges to deal with," he said.
The accusations come after Mr Fraser released a statement saying Mr Newman's family's web of business interests were an "international embarrassment' for Queensland.
Mr Newman said the FBI acted because Mr Fraser had made baseless allegations.
He said he's quite confident this will be another allegation by Mr Fraser that's found to be baseless.
As previously reported by brisbanetimes.com.au, the FBI became involved when a court case in New Hampshire came to their attention.
Almost four months ago, brisbanetimes.com.au was told the FBI was examining the case and made repeated attempts to confirm the information.
The US law enforcement agency confirmed the details this week.
In a statement this morning, Mr Fraser said Mr Newman owed Queenslanders an "immediate explanation".
"This is the same company that Mr Newman's family set up days after Brisbane was flooded in January 2011 and then tried to profit from the misery that affected thousands of Queenslanders," he said.
"They wanted taxpayers to give them $30 million of flood money and then tried to hide it until Campbell Newman was exposed by the media.
"Now it turns out that their business dealings have become the focus of the world's leading law enforcement agencies.
"Not only has Campbell Newman and his family's web of business dealings become an international embarrassment for Queensland, but they cast a long shadow over whether he is fit for office."
- with AAP

Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/newman-distances-himself-from-fbi-review-20120215-1t5a7.html#ixzz2tAObzazX