Thursday, April 10, 2008

Corruption: High Court rules against Serious Fraud Office in Saudi/BAE scandal

The High Court has ruled that the UK's Serious Fraud Office (SFO) should not have ended its investigation into alleged bribery and corruption in arms deals between Saudi Arabia and UK defence group BAE Systems Plc

The Royal Courts of Justice handed down its ruling after a judicial review hearing into the legality of the decision to drop the investigation in December 2006.

The review was brought by the Corner House Research Group and the Campaign Against Arms Trade (CATT).

The investigation ended after former attorney general Lord Goldsmith said it could jeopardise national security by prompting the Saudis to withdraw security and intelligence co-operation.

An SFO is consdering the implications of the judgement.