A8 TUESDAY, OcronER 27, 1992 . ,f TIIE WASIII U.S. Let Firm Sell Computers to

By R. Jeffrey Smith or companies associated with" him. A met on several occasions in late 1988 Washington Post Staff Writer department spokesman said yester- and 1989 with an official of the State day, however, that this statement Department's defense trade office to The Commerce Department au- was meant to cover only shipments discuss various foreign arms projects thorized a Maryland firm to export of munitions, not items with either being pursued by Gerald Bull and af- computer equipment to Iraq in commercial or military use. filiated firms, including Space Re- 1989, well after company officials The documents indicate that the search Corp. of Maryland, according had informed the government of Sept. 22, 1989, export license was to a department official who asked their intention to help Iraq's mili- given to the Space Research Corp. not to be identified. tary program, according to govern- of Maryland Inc., a firm incorporat- Cowley and Ohley have told the ment documents and officials. ed by Gerald Bull's son, Michael House Banking Committee they spe- • The equipment was sent to a Bull. The company operated out of cifically informed the State Depart- state-owned automotive company in the offices of the Baltimore law firm ment of their intention to aid Iraq's Iraq, but House Banking Committee Hazel, Thomas, Fiske, Beckhorn & military program, according to the investigators said yesterday that Hanes, according to a lawyer there, committee investigator. But it is un- informants have told them Iraq di- D. Christopher Ohly. clear if they specifically mentioned :verted the equipment to a supergun Ohly said he was unaware of any the supergun or if any of their infor- 'project designed by arms builder military application for the comput- mation was passed to the Commerce Gerald Bull and meant to lob im- er equipment, which was licensed officials who reviewed the export li- mense projectiles at . for use in Iraqi truck design. He censes for Space Research Corp. The documents are to be re- declined to comment further. "The Commerce Department has leased today at a Senate Banking Gerald Bull's own firm, the Space conducted and continues to conduct Committee hearing featuring a se- Research Corp. of , obtained an extensive investigation into al- ries of witnesses expected to crit- a separate Commerce Department legations of unlawful exports of icize U.S.-Iraqi ties before the Per- license in 1989 for the export of com- U.S. technology in Iraq. We are sian . National security puter software meant for "analysis of precluded by statute, however, adviser Brent Scowcroft and former designs for . • ., missiles." from discussing or commenting on - secretary of commerce Robert A. An investigator for the House Bank- any specific transaction," said Mosbacher were invited to testify ing Committee said he believes this spokeswoman Arlene Johnson. at the hearing, but do not intend to software, which was supposed to be Cowley, who resides in England, appear, committee officials said. used in , was diverted to Iraq could not be reached for comment, The documents show that the for use with the computer equipment but he has denied violating any laws. Commerce Department approved on the supergun design. Charges brought against him by the the export license after a special re- The investigator said he learned British government for illegal arms view by an interagency committee this from Christopher Cowley, a for- exports were later dropped. 'chaired by a State Department of- mer employee with Space Research The State Department had Corp., who told the British House of .sserted in February 1991, after Commons last January that he helped I ,Bull's involvement with the Iraqi su- supervise the Iraqi supergun project pergun was publicly revealed, that it for Gerald Bull. Cowley could not be did not approve "any exports to Iraq reached yesterday. .dif equipment or technology by Bull Michael Bull, Cowley and Ohley