“The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) says it has lost thousands of documents relating to a probe into BAE Systems. The UK agency said it lost 32,000 pages of data and 81 audio tapes linked to a bribery probe into BAE’s al-Yamamah deal with Saudi Arabia. The investigation into the huge arms deal was discontinued in 2006 after intervention from then-Prime Minister Tony Blair. The SFO said the lost material comprised 3% of data about the deal. It said it lost the items when it returned more material than intended to a source in the investigation…………The al-Yamaha deal involved the sale of tens of billions of pounds worth of arms by BAE Systems to Saudi Arabia, beginning in the 1980s and ending in 2006 with the sale of 72 Typhoon fighter jets. Allegations of corruption and bribery led to an SFO investigation in 2004, but it was closed in 2006 on grounds of public interest, amid concerns that relations with Saudi Arabia were being harmed. The firm paid $450m (£289m) in fines in the UK and US three years ago to end other corruption investigations in both countries…………….”

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