Contractors under fire for profiting from Iraq rebuild

Contractors came under the spotlight this week, when anti-war campaigners accused them of being the biggest profiteers in the UK from the occupation of Iraq.

Loukas Christodoulou told CJ Amec is the main beneficiary of contracts to rebuild the country. The company won work as half of a partnership with US engineer Fluor. Christodoulou said Amec’s share in the venture is approximately £500m.

An Amec spokesman refused to comment on specifics of the company’s work in Iraq. He said: “We don’t talk about Iraq. That Amec made £500m is probably quite an exaggeration, but it’s certainly the only UK company that has a big presence there.”

Costain has also benefited from the occupation, with £15m-worth of contracts from the Kurdistan regional government.

A Mowlem spokesman denied the company has worked in post-invasion Iraq, despite the government quoting industry sources that it had won a £3m contract to refurbish a Basra hotel for use by troops.