tony blair closes an investigation into 2 billion pound payments to the Saudi Royal family for 20 yr

[rpannier]

Attorney-general knew of BAE and the £1bn. Then concealed it.

British investigators were ordered by the attorney-general Lord Goldsmith to conceal from international anti-bribery watchdogs the existence of payments totalling more than £1bn to a Saudi prince, the Guardian can disclose.
The money was paid into bank accounts controlled by Prince Bandar for his role in setting up BAE Systems with Britain's biggest ever arms deal. Details of the transfers to accounts in the US were discovered by officers from the Serious Fraud Office during its long-running investigation into BAE. But its inquiry was halted suddenly last December

snip

The abandonment of the inquiry caused an outcry which provoked the world's anti-corruption watchdog, the OECD, to launch its own investigation into the circumstances behind the decision.

But when OECD representatives sought to learn more about the background to the move at private meetings in January and March they were not given full disclosure by British officials, according to sources.

snip

Standing beside George Bush, a close family friend of former US ambassador Prince Bandar, Mr Blair said it would have "wrecked" the relationship with Saudi Arabia if he had allowed investigations to go on. "This investigation, if it had gone ahead, would have involved the most serious allegations and investigation being made of the Saudi royal family," he said.


link:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/baefiles/story/0,,2098232,00.html

[babylonsister]

1. How blatant can one get? And who gives a crap if the Saudi family

is outed? Everyone is covering their own complicity, and it's disgusting.

[Benhurst]

2. I wonder how much Bliar got ... or will get?

[elehhhhna]

3. The Brits should sue for their TAX money back.