Tallinn official faces widening arms-dealing scandal

TALLINN - Tallinn Council Chairman Toomas Vitsut is facing a widening scandal after journalists revealed allegations that the official had been involved in an arms dealing operation to Libya.

In an expose aired last week, TV news program "Pealtnägija" (Eyewitness) accussed Vitsut of having had a role in the shipping of explosives to Libya in the '80s through a ship, the Balkan Star, that his company rented.

Further details have emerged in recent days after business daily Aripaev published an article which found that the company - which reportedly had profits of  six figures - was sold off for just one kroon. 

Vitsut has said that the allegations are part of a pre-election smear campaign. He said he would fully explain the situation in the near future.

Estonian national elections are scheduled to take place early next month.

In it's detailed report, the paper claimed that the ship made dozens of trips around the middle east, the Mediterrainian, Eastern Europe and North Africa.