One-degree of separation: Disclaimer: Nadhmi Auchi

Today, RezkoWatch received an emailed 3-page letter from media lawyer Alasdair Pepper of London's Carter-Ruck which stated that Nadhmi Auchi is a client. The letter enumerated a list of cited material from RezkoWatch which Pepper, on behalf of his client, said:

"contains numerous highly defamatory and false allegations, in addition to other false claims about our client" and that it makes "very serious allegations and claims without making any real attempt to check the truth of them. Under English law, you are liable for publication of your blog in England, which is where our client has lived and worked for over 25 years. Further, your blog has very recently been published widely in England through the Google Alert service. In the circumstances, you are requested forthwith to delete from your blog the false and defamatory statements and allegations identified above, together with any other claims on your blog of the same or similar nature. In addition, our client expects an apology from you in terms to be agreed. If you do not immediately do as requested, you should expect proceedings for libel immediately to be issued against you seeking an injunction, damages and costs."

Statements made in Pepper's letter are similar to those cited on November 16, 2007, on behalf of Auchi in reponse to Nicholas Cohen's article The politics of sleaze published November 16, 2003, in the UK's The Observer.

As defined in the Law.com's The People's Legal Dictionary, Nadhmi Auchi qualifies as a "public figure", someone who is "a personage of great public interest or familiarity like a government official, politician, celebrity, business leader, movie star or sports hero. Incorrect harmful statements published about a public figure cannot be the basis of a lawsuit for defamation unless there is proof that the writer or publisher intentionally defamed the person with malice (hate)."

That said, any characterization of Nahdmi Auchi as "corrupt" or involved with "corruption" have been removed from RezkoWatch unless they are contained within cited source material.

Additionally, RezkoWatch articles containing information about Nadhmi Auchi from questionable sources have been archived while those sources and information contained therein are verified.

Also see related articles from the United Kingdom:

• Laura Peek, Tycoon held on fraud charges, Times Online, April 2, 2003.
  
• A Correspondent, Arrest of rich fraud suspect cancelled, Times Online, May 17, 2003.
  
• Charles Bremner, Elf oil chiefs jailed in £200m fraud scandal, Times Online November 13, 2003.
  
• Robert Winnert's Billionaire: I’m no friend of Saddam. In his first ever interview, Iraqi-born Nadhmi Auchi tries to set the record straight about his controversial business activities, Times Online (UK), September 5, 2004.