On the trail of Doug WoodBy Sarah S

On the trail of Doug Wood

By Sarah Smiles
Amman
Russell Skelton
Melbourne
July 17, 2005

Page Tools

John Watkinson

John Watkinson remembers the day when his business partnership with Douglas Wood turned ugly. Driving down to the Dead Sea on holiday in Jordan in April 2004, he received a distressed phone call from his assistant in Baghdad.

She said Wood was mishandling a large payment of money they had received for a construction contract for a building they were refurbishing in the US-administered Baghdad safe haven otherwise known as the Green Zone.

Wood and Watkinson had met each other in Tblisi, Georgia, in 2002 and entered into a "teaming partnership" to do business in Iraq. Wood was a signatory to Watkinson's bank account and was entrusted to bank their first contract payment of $US600,000 ($A800,000) to restore a seven-storey building - once used by Saddam Hussein's notoriously brutal son Qusay - while Watkinson was away in Amman.

Carrying wads of cash, Wood had swaggered down to the building site in an elated mood and paid out $US437,000 directly to subcontractors working on the building that had come close to being destroyed by a bomb the day before. Wood then stuffed the remainder into a shoebox and took it to his favourite watering hole, the Al-Weyeh club, a dilapidated old British colonial club, to celebrate, says Watkinson's 25-year-old Georgian assistant, Ana Bokeria.

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"Doug promised me that he would deposit the entire sum into the bank. When I finally got him on the phone it was clear to me he was out of it," says Watkinson, who has finally broken his silence to The Sunday Age on his relationship with Wood, a man he now describes as unreliable.

In the days that followed, Watkinson alleges Wood absconded with $US50,000 of the company's money and fled Baghdad in a taxi to Georgia, via Turkey.

Watkinson, who severed his business relationship with Wood 14 months ago, strongly disputes many of Wood's claims of business success in Iraq, claiming Wood had been kicked off projects and sidelined from others after offering a financial inducement to secure a construction contract. He regards claims by Wood that he was about to secure an oil- related contract on the day he was taken hostage as highly fanciful. "And how does anyone get into an oil deal? The Iraqis have been trading oil for years - why would they need Doug?"

Watkinson says Wood was nearly destitute and living in a derelict building when he was kidnapped in controversial circumstances. An Iraqi businessman, who declined to be identified and who has closely studied many hostage snatches for his own protection, says that kidnappings are usually highly organised, target people with connections who will attract a lot of attention and are often carried out in broad daylight. Wood was taken in a prearranged meeting at a private house.

Douglas Wood: relationship with� John Watkinson soured.

Watkinson is also puzzled by the circumstances of the kidnapping, believing Wood may have been an easy target because he was living in the highly dangerous Red Zone, but added that he was of no commercial value because of his parlous financial position.

Interviewed by Federal Police and Australian officials after Wood disappeared on 29 April, Watkinson says police told him they believed Wood got himself into trouble and if he had been more careful would never have been taken hostage. "I had a feeling that the Australian Federal Police were just as puzzled as I was about the nature and circumstances of the kidnapping," he says.

Given Wood's reputation around Baghdad for not paying his bills, Watkinson believes it is possible that Wood was kidnapped by somebody he owed money to, although he admits this is pure speculation.

"I don't know why he was kidnapped because he wasn't of any commercial value, unless of course he had a contract and owed money to the subcontractor," he says.

After a far-reaching investigation into Wood's business activities in Baghdad and London, and into the circumstances surrounding his disappearance and astonishingly coincidental discovery by Iraqi troops on the day he was due to be released,The Sunday Age can reveal for the first time:

- Wood's company International Projekts Management Limited, registered with US authorities in Iraq for contract work, has not filed a financial return with British regulators because it has never made any money. The company has been dormant since 1996 when it was first registered. It has paid-up share capital of ££1000 (A$2336).

- Despite claims that he made money in Georgia, Watkinson and friends of Wood say he arrived in Baghdad broke after claiming he had $5000 stolen from his luggage on his flight from the former Soviet republic. Inquiries reveal that he owed money not only to his former employees Faris Shakir and Adel Najm (taken hostage with Wood but executed before he was picked up by Iraqi soldiers on 15 June), but also to hotels and other businesses in Baghdad.

- Despite repeated assurances that he would send money to the families of Faris Shakir and Adel Najm

ผลลัพธ์ (อังกฤษ) 3:

On the trail of Doug Wood



By Sarah Smiles Amman Russell Skelton

July 17 Melbourne, Page Tools 2005





, John Watkinson John Watkinson remembers the day when his business partnership with Douglas Wood turned ugly. Driving down to the Dead Sea on Holiday in Jordan in, April 2004 he received a distressed phone call from his assistant in Baghdad.

She said Wood was mishandling a large payment of money they had received for a construction contract for a building they Were refurbishing in the US-administered Baghdad safe haven otherwise known as the Green Zone.

Wood and Watkinson had met Each other, in Tblisi Georgia in 2002, and entered into a "teaming partnership" to do business in IraqWood was a signatory to Watkinson 's bank account and was entrusted to bank their first contract payment of $US600 000, ($A800 000), to restore a seven-storey building - once used by Saddam Hussein 's notoriously brutal son Qusay - while Watkinson Was away in Amman.

Carrying wads of cash Wood had, swaggered down to the building site in an elated mood and paid out, $US437000 directly to subcontractors working on the building that had come close to being destroyed by a bomb the day, before Wood then stuffed the remainder into a shoebox and took it to his favourite watering hole the Al-Weyeh club a dilapidated,, Old British Club colonial, celebrate to, Watkinson says' s 25-year-old Georgian assistant Ana AdvertisementAdvertisement, Bokeria.



"Doug promised me that he would deposit the entire sum into the bank. When I finally got him on the phone it was clear To me he was out of it, "says Watkinson who has, finally broken his silence to) The Sunday Age) on his relationship, with Wood A man he now describes as unreliable.

In the days that followed Watkinson alleges, Wood absconded with, $US50000 of the company 's money and fled Baghdad in a taxi, to Georgia via Turkey.

, Watkinson who severed his business relationship With Wood 14, months ago strongly disputes many of Wood 's claims of business success in Iraq claiming Wood, had been kicked Off projects and sidelined from others after offering a financial inducement to secure a construction contractHe regards claims by Wood that he was about to secure an oil - related contract on the day he was taken hostage as highly Fanciful. "And how does anyone get into an oil deal? The Iraqis have been trading oil for years - why would they need Doug?"

Watkinson Says Wood was nearly destitute and living in a derelict building when he was kidnapped in controversial circumstances. An Iraqi, businessmanWho declined to be identified and who has closely studied many hostage snatches for his, own protection says that kidnappings Are usually highly organised target people, with connections who will attract a lot of attention and are often carried out In broad daylight. Wood was taken in a prearranged meeting at a private house.

Douglas Wood: relationship with John Watkinson products Soured.

Watkinson is also puzzled by the circumstances of, the kidnapping believing Wood may have been an easy target because he Was living in the highly dangerous Red Zone but added, that he was of no commercial value because of his parlous financial Position.

Interviewed by Federal Police and Australian officials after Wood disappeared on, 29 AprilWatkinson says police told him they believed Wood got himself into trouble and if he had been more careful would never Have been taken hostage. "I had a feeling that the Australian Federal Police were just as puzzled as I was about the nature And circumstances of the kidnapping, "he says.

Given Wood 's reputation around Baghdad for not paying, his billsWatkinson believes it is possible that Wood was kidnapped by somebody he owed money to although he, admits this is pure Speculation.

"I don 't know why he was kidnapped because he wasn' t of any, commercial value unless of course he had a contract And owed money to the subcontractor, "he says.

After a far-reaching investigation into Wood 's business activities in Baghdad And, LondonAnd into the circumstances surrounding his disappearance and astonishingly coincidental discovery by Iraqi troops on the Day he was due to be released The Sunday, Age) can reveal for the first time:

-) Wood 's company International Projekts Management Limited registered with, US authorities in Iraq for, contract workHas not filed a financial return with British regulators because it has never made any money. The company has been dormant Since 1996 when it was first registered. It has paid-up share capital of pound pounds ($1000 A 2336).

-) Despite claims that he made Money, in GeorgiaWatkinson and friends of Wood say he arrived in Baghdad broke after claiming he had $5000 stolen from his luggage on his Flight from the former Soviet Republic. Inquiries reveal that he owed money not only to his former employees Faris Shakir And Adel Najm (taken hostage with Wood but executed before he was picked up by Iraqi soldiers on 15 June)But also to hotels and other businesses in Baghdad.

-) Despite repeated assurances that he would send money to the families Of Faris Shakir and Adel Najm