Ghosts of al-Yamama Laid to Rest?...........
“It will hand over more than £250m to the US, which accused BAE of "wilfully misleading" it over payments made as the firm tried to win contracts. The defence group will pay about £30m in the UK - a record criminal corporate fine - for separate wrongdoings. The firm said the pleas did not relate to accusations of corruption or bribery but that it "regretted" shortcomings. BBC business editor Robert Peston said that pleading guilty to criminal charges in Britain and the US was "a serious embarrassment" to BAE, the UK's largest manufacturer.
• The biggest probe into BAE focused on a £43bn contract to supply more than 100 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia. The deal began in 1985 but a National Audit Office investigation was suppressed in 1992
• The SFO launched an investigation in 2004 into the allegations - including claims BAE was running a "slush fund" that offered sweeteners to Saudi royals and their intermediaries in return for lucrative contracts
• This was dropped two years later amid political pressure from the UK and Saudi Arabia. BAE always denied any wrongdoing
• In June 2007, BAE said it was being investigated by the US authorities over deals with Saudi Arabia…………..” BBC
Okay, the US$ 2 billion allegedly paid to Prince Bandar are kosher now in the yes of the “international community”. But what about the eyes of the people of Saudi Arabia? It was their money, after all that was added to the bill and paid the prince. And let’s not forget Tony (the poodle) Blair, who is reaping his own share of the benefits now that he is out of office (rewards for having squashed the SFO investigation)?
Cheers
mhg
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