Do you buy Chiquita Bananas?, You're funding terrorism.. Options

[*Podomaht*]

Taken from http://money.cnn.com/2007/03/14/news/compa...sion=2007031417

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Federal authorities on Wednesday charged Chiquita Brands International with engaging in transactions with a terrorist organization.

The company recently pushed back its annual report as it seeks to amend an agreement with lenders after taking a $25 million charge related to an ongoing federal investigation.

Shares of Chiquita (up $0.25 to $12.75, Charts) fell nearly 2 percent in after-hours trading on the New York Stock Exchange Wednesday.

Chiquita it did not file its annual report by March 1 as required and now expects to file it on March 16. It is seeking approval of an amendment with lenders under a June 28 credit agreement, it said.

In a Feb. 22 filing, Chiquita said it had voluntarily disclosed that its Colombian banana-producing subsidiary, which it sold in June 2004, had made payments to certain groups there, which were designated as "foreign terrorist organizations" under U.S. law.

Following the disclosure, the Justice Department initiated a criminal investigation to examine the role and conduct of the company and some of its officers in the matter, the company said in that filing.