By Rosemary ONUOHA

A British businessman has been accused of insuring oil tankers that are undermining international trade sanctions imposed on President Bashar al-Assad’s murderous regime in Syria.

David Skinner, 47, who runs an insurance firm from the tax haven of Liechtenstein, apparently provided cover for two Iranian-owned tankers involved in transporting crude oil from Syria, according to insurance certificates seen by The Sunday Telegraph.

The European Union put an embargo on all exports of Syrian oil last September, in a bid to starve President Assad’s regime of valuable oil revenues, which account for up to a third of government income. The legislation not only bans EU-based shipping companies from transporting such oil, but also forbids EU-based insurance firms from providing cover.

However, because Liechtenstein is not within the EU’s jurisdiction, there was nothing to stop Mr. Skinner’s company, DGS Marine Group Limited, issuing insurance certificates via a scheme it manages called the British European & Overseas Protection and Indemnity.

Certificates bearing his firm’s name and his signature were obtained by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), an independent body part-funded by the Swedish government that monitors companies and individuals suspected of sanctions-breaking and illicit trafficking.