The US government is investigating the acquisition of sensitive US facilities and technology by another company owned by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and an Israeli firm, the Washington Post said yesterday.
Although a US official denied the probes responded to the outcry over Dubai Ports World's takeover of operations at six US ports, the daily said the investigation of the second UAE firm's deal began this week, at the height of the controversy.
The US Congress has been notified of the investigations carried out by the Committee of Foreign Investment in the US (CFIUS), the daily said.
CFIUS, under pressure from Congress, is also investigating Dubai Ports World's acquisition of Britain's Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co, which currently manages six US ports, where security is at issue.
Like the ports deal, security concerns have been raised over Dubai International Capital's US$1.2 billion acquisition of London-based Doncasters Group Ltd, which in nine US locations manufactures precision parts for defense contractors such as Boeing, Honeywell and General Electric.
Plans by the Israeli firm Check Point Software Technologies to buy the Maryland software security firm Sourcefire, which does business with US defense department agencies, have raised concerns over the possible sale of sensitive technology to third countries, the daily said.
A 45-day investigation of Check Point's deal began early last month, several weeks before the ports controversy erupted, administration officials told the daily.
"The CFIUS process is charged with determining if there are national security concerns in any transaction, and it takes that role very seriously," Tony Fratto, spokesman for the treasury department, which leads the interagency committee, told the daily.
Fratto said that neither of the new investigations were started "because of public reaction to some other transaction."
Spokespeople for Doncaster's and Check Point declined to comment on the report, the Washington Post said.
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