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Karl Heinz Schreiber in Augsburg, Germany to face the Music

by albertacowpoke | August 3, 2009 at 12:41 pm

542 views | 38 Recommendations | 7 comments

There has been an extradition order on Karl Heinz Schreiber, Businessman and Weapons Lobbyist for almost ten years. Schreiber has successfully avoided extradition by making himself available as a witness against former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney.

Mulroney was alleged to have taken part in a scheme where money was funneled to him for Airbus acquistion. This was known as the Airbus Affair. Mulroney sued the Canadian government and won a 50 Million dollar lawsuit, which he claims paid his legal fees.

The whole issue was reopened again when Karl Heinz Schreiber said he had details and that he would sing like a bird at an inquiry. The whole thing became a circus within a parliamentary committee, where it was disclosed that Schreiber had given Mulroney cash in envelopes handed over in hotel rooms in Montreal and New York. Mulroney admitted to three payments of $75,000. The cash apparently ended up in a safety deposit box New York. Mulroney declared it as Income Tax two years after receipt.

In any case, the issue was later taken up by an inquiry, which concluded on Friday. The final results have not yet been released.

The Canadian Justice Department immediately issued Schreiber his extradition order, which was appealed and denied on Sunday. Schreiber was handed over to German authorities almost immediately and on a plane within a few hours.

According to the Augsburger Allgemeine Newspaper he was accompanied by a Canadian Doctor and then a German doctor took over when he arrived in Munich. Apparenly there is nothing preventing him, healthwise, to remain in custody until his trial.

Schreiber faces charges of fraud and was one of Germany's most wanted criminals. The German Newspaper describes him as a "Wichtigtuer" (Important Maker - one who is consumed by his own self-importance). If found guilty, Schreiber could be put away for several years.

Apparently he also wrote a letter to German chancellor Merkl, telling the chanceller that the Social Democrats (SPD) had won three elections on account of his testimony and that that was likely to happen again. German authorities don.t think that this will influence the upcoming Bundestag (Parliamentary) elections.

His letter to Merkl seems all too familiar with what Schreiber did in Canada. Schreiber should provide us with free entertainment in the political world for years to come.

A lot was going on outside the the prison in the Augsburger Karmelitengasse. A large contingent of journalists waited for the arrival of Karlheinz Schreiber. It was unclear if Schreiber would still be in Augsburg Monday Morning.

The Prosecutor announced that the arrest warrant against the former lWeapons Lobbyist, a key figure in the CDU donations scandal, was not valid until 10 am Tuesday.. Initial rumours had it that Schreiber would be brought to Landsberg first.

The everything happpend quickly, at11:39 am two cars arrive in front of the prison - a black Audi A4 estate and a silver Mercedes E-Class. Both with Wiesbaden licence plates. In einem . Onne of the cars contains Karlheinz Schreiber.

Karlheinz Schreiber, a key figure in a political party financing scandal involving former prime minister Brian Mulroney and former German chancellor Helmut Kohl, arrived in Germany on Monday and has been jailed after losing a decade-long extradition battle in Canada.

The 75-year-old former arms-industry lobbyist landed in Munich around 9:30 a.m. local time, and was taken to a jail in nearby Augsburg, where prosecutors accuse him of bribery and tax evasion.

At a news conference Monday, chief prosecutor Reinhard Nemetz said Schreiber will appear in court on Tuesday to have the arrest warrant against him read, and then a judge will decide whether to keep him in custody pending formal charges.

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cyn.khoo

at 16:04 on August 3rd, 2009

Thanks for doing this story.

albertacowpoke

at 16:06 on August 3rd, 2009

You're welcome glad I came back I screwed up the highlight for the cbc portion.

eastvanray

at 16:17 on August 3rd, 2009

I'm guessing that he won't be able to bribe his way out of a German prison! Good riddence Karlheinz!

albertacowpoke

at 16:20 on August 3rd, 2009

Thanks for your comment Eastvanray. It appears that they have a pretty solid case on him and will attempt to keep him in jail until his trial. The hearing is tomorrow in Augsburg. With his record of trying to avoid justice, I doubt he will be granted bail.

158

at 17:10 on August 3rd, 2009

I wonder if he can get a fair trial.

albertacowpoke

at 17:19 on August 3rd, 2009

Germany has an excellent justice system. He will be afforded all the legal possibilities available in Canada or the U.S. Schreiber is also a dual citizen of Canada and Germany. He and his lawyers will know the ins and outs of the system. He had a top notch lawyer representing him in Canada. I.m sure that his Canadian lawyer will work in tandem with his German lawyer.