$300,000 Bail Set for Scot in Libya Case
A federal magistrate in San Diego set bail at $300,000 Tuesday for a Scottish businessman accused of violating a U.S. trade embargo by helping supply Libya with critically needed oil field equipment.
Francis George Christie of Aberdeen, Scotland, was arrested with operators of a Louisiana oil services company in January after an undercover agent lured Christie to the United States, allegedly to discuss further shipments to Libya.
The arrests of Christie and George and Cheryl Smith in New Orleans came after a six-month undercover operation that involved a U.S. Customs agent posing as an oil equipment salesman for Solar Turbines Inc. of San Diego.
During the investigation, the Smiths, operators of Oil Patch Production Services Inc., allegedly used their company to purchase $250,000 worth of oil equipment from the undercover agent for Christie. The equipment was then shipped to Libya through England, the San Diego U.S. attorney’s office said.
Last month, a federal grand jury in San Diego indicted Christie, the Smiths and two other Scottish businessmen who are partners in Christie’s firm, Christie Noble Services Inc. The five defendants are charged with conspiring to violate the trade embargo with Libya, imposed by President Reagan last February after attacks by Libyan-backed terrorists at the Rome and Vienna airports in 1985.
The Smiths have been released on bail, but businessmen Robert Noble and Neil Williamson are in Scotland and cannot be extradited for the alleged offenses, which are not against the law in the United Kingdom.
U.S. Magistrate Roger Curtis McGee set Christie’s bail despite warnings by Assistant U.S. Atty. Phillip L.B. Halpern that the silver-haired defendant might return to Scotland and be unavailable to stand trial.
McGee appeared to be persuaded by defense attorney Robert Semner’s description of Christie as a man of “impeccable character” concerned about his reputation and his pledge to have the defendant’s brother, a United Airlines pilot who lives in Ohio, sign a promissory note for half the bail amount. The other $150,000 will be provided by friends of Christie’s who have raised funds on his behalf in Scotland.
As requested by Halpern, McGee’s order was stayed until Friday, when a U.S. District Court judge will review the action.
