GAO Says State Dept. Handling of Arms Licenses Is Too Loose

WASHINGTON — The State Department approved almost $15-billion worth of licenses for arms and other military equipment in the last fiscal year, but it did not check closely whether the weapons were going to terrorists or unfriendly countries, the General Accounting Office said Friday.

A report by the congressional watchdog agency said the licensing procedure within the Office of Munition Control is so loose that “export license application data and information were not routinely checked for accuracy or veracity.”

In fact, the GAO reported to a Senate committee, “OMC rarely requests U.S. embassies’ assistance in verifying the bona fides of the purchaser or other foreign parties to the sale.”

“OMC also was not using readily available information about exports and others involved in commercial sales transactions that would help identify applications potentially needing closer scrutiny,” it said.

The GAO report was prepared for the Governmental Affairs Committee, which has been looking at procedures for selling weapons. That review has received new attention in the wake of the Iran- contra affair, which involved the secret sales of weapons to Iran and the secret supplying of other weapons to the Nicaraguan rebels.

The GAO recommended that the State Department tighten its procedures for overseeing the export licenses, which are necessary for U.S. firms to sell goods overseas.

The State Department clears deals made by private U.S. firms. The Defense Department oversees sales by the U.S. government, which are usually made under the Foreign Military Sales Program or the Military Assistance Program.