Warning on Russian Didn't Reach Defense Staff

Government records show that Air Bas and Irbis flew for the Air Force, Army and Army Corps of Engineers, as well as Federal Express and KBR, the latter as late as October. KBR is a subsidiary of Halliburton Co. The State warning list also named Jetline, an air firm that flew for KBR and also ferried armored cars into Iraq for the British government.

The State list did not mention British Gulf International, which had come under scrutiny by the CPA.

There is no evidence that any firms on the State list other than Air Bas, Irbis and Jetline have operated flights into Iraq.

At least one charter subcontractor who hired Air Bas planes at $60,000 per flight complained Friday that the U.S. had failed to provide proper guidance. Dinu Kabiwar, manager of Frames International Travel in Middlesex, Britain, said he had hired Air Bas "three or four times" to fly personnel from Bombay, India, to Baghdad for KEC International, an Indian power company working for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

"They should have stipulated in any contract not to use these Russians," Kabiwar said.

Times staff writer T. Christian Miller contributed to this report.