[JURIST] Swedish prosecutor Christer Van der Kwast will investigate several well-known Swedish companies, including the bus and truck manufacturer Volvo [corporate website] and tool manufacturer Atlas Copco [corporate website], for allegedly making payments to the Iraqi government in exchange for favorable oil-for-food bargains, according to a report Tuesday from Radio Sweden. Van der Kwast plans on investigating every company named in the UN report [JURIST report] issued last October by the independent commission investigating the oil-for-food scandal [JURIST news archive] that has "a Swedish link that makes it possible to prosecute in Sweden." Volvo acknowledged in October that it had made payments to the Iraqi government in connection with the now-defunct UN Oil-for-Food program [official website], but said that it did not consider its actions bribery. Van der Kwast plans to charge the companies with bribery and violation of international sanctions. Xinhua has more. The International Herald-Tribune has extended coverage of the oil-for-food scandal.

Previously in JURIST's Paper Chase…

• Anti-bribery panel urges deeper national oil-for-food investigations
• Ex-Indian foreign minister resigns cabinet post amid oil-for-food allegations
• Former French UN ambassador admits taking oil-for-food bribes

ALSO ON JURIST  Text: UN Oil-for-Food manipulation report | Text: UN Oil-for-Food management report