---
category: "Arms Dealers & Brokers"
tags:
  - IranContra
  - Person
summary: "In late 1985, Ari Ben-Menashe approached Sanders to purchase cluster bombs for Israel."
updated: 2026-10-12
---

[[Alan Sanders]] was a businessman with links to the [[Central Intelligence Agency|CIA]]. His cover was [[ITICO]] (Integrated Technologies International Co.). He was involved in supplying technology for cluster bombs to [[Carlos Cardoen]], specifically in the form of blueprints. [[Ari Ben-Menashe]] wrote that this was done with a covert [[United States|U.S.]] license despite a [[United Nations]] arms embargo against [[Chile]].[^1] Security Council resolution 232 of December 16, 1966 imposed mandatory measures against Southern Rhodesia, including a prohibition on the sale or shipment of arms, and resolution 418 of November 4, 1977 imposed a mandatory arms embargo against South Africa.[^2][^3]

In late 1985, Ari Ben-Menashe approached Sanders to purchase cluster bombs for [[Israel]]. Sanders made it clear that the sale of cluster bombs to Israel was prohibited by the U.S.. However, he introduced Ben-Menashe to [[Richard Babayan]], a CIA contract agent with close contacts with Cardoen, indicating that Cardoen would sell the bombs to Israel.[^1]

### Footnotes

[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
[^2]: United Nations Security Council, resolution 232 (1966), December 16, 1966. https://documents.un.org/api/symbol/access?s=S%2FRES%2F232%20%281966%29&l=en&t=pdf
[^3]: United Nations Security Council, resolution 418 (1977), November 4, 1977. https://documents.un.org/api/symbol/access?s=S%2FRES%2F418%20%281977%29&l=en&t=pdf