SYDNEY, Oct. 31 (UPI) -- Australian Prime Minister John Howard has called for an investigation into a company named in the Iraq oil-for-food scandal, just a day after rejecting one.
Howard reversed course after allegations the Australian Wheat Board's top officials were linked to a Jordanian company accused of funneling funds to Saddam Hussein, The Australian reports.
The wheat board had previously been thought to have no fault in the scandal. It claimed it did not to know the shipping company Alia was charging extra money and kicking it back to Hussein.
The board of directors has denied any involvement but said it would cooperate with an inquiry.
A U.N. report on the Iraq oil-for-food scandal released last week also listed two other Australian firms, Alkaloids of Australia and Rhine Ruhr. Heads of both companies had already agreed to cooperate in an investigation.
