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Fresh criticism over BAE inquiry
Britain's commitment to fighting bribery is to be investigated
by a prominent anti-corruption group.
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's
move is prompted by the UK's decision to drop a probe into
defence firm BAE Systems.
The Serious Fraud Office said it abandoned the investigation
into a huge Saudi arms deal in December because it could
threaten national security.
Critics said it demonstrated the UK was lukewarm about tackling
corruption.
SFO investigators had been looking into claims that BAE paid
bribes to secure the al-Yamamah arms deal in the 1980s, which
involved Tornado and Hawk jets and a major airbase construction
programme.
The UK defence company denied all claims of corruption related
to the deal, thought to have been worth £40bn ($77bn) to the
firm.
Media reports alleged that Saudi Arabia had threatened to cancel
a further £10bn deal to buy 72 Eurofighters from BAE Systems
unless the inquiry was halted.
The OECD said its working group on bribery had "reaffirmed its
serious concerns" about the SFO's decision to drop the al-Yamamah
inquiry, questioning whether the move was consistent with the
OECD's anti-bribery convention.
It said the group welcomed recent increases in resources for
investigations, but the continuing lack of any prosecution "may
raise broader issues".
The OECD said it would review whether "systemic problems"
explained the lack of foreign bribery cases brought to
prosecution in the UK. Its inquiry will include an on-site
visit, to be conducted within one year.
The head of the SFO, Robert Wardle, told the BBC on Monday that
he had come under no political pressure to drop the al-Yamamah
inquiry.
Mr Wardle said he had made the decision independently, following
warnings that continuing the investigation could damage UK
national security. |
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