Cloud of suspicion hangs over Saudi prince's Cowboys-colored airplane

[babylonsister]

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/world/story/75666.html

Cloud of suspicion hangs over Saudi prince's Cowboys-colored airplane

By Maria Recio | McClatchy Newspapers


snip//

Bandar flies around the world in a jet painted in the Cowboys' silver-and-blue colors.

But it's the story behind his jet — an Airbus A-340 usually flown by airliners — that is drawing attention today.

Anti-bribery government investigators in the United Kingdom and the U.S. Justice Department are looking into a massive arms deal between the Saudis and British-based BAE Systems that dates back to the 1980s. The deal allegedly included the gift of the Airbus to Bandar on his birthday in 1998 and $2 billion that BAE deposited in Saudi accounts in a Washington bank.

Bandar representatives, including former FBI director Louis Freeh, have denied the bribery allegations. Freeh said on the PBS Frontline program "Black Money" earlier this year that the money was part of an oil-for-jets barter deal, and that the A-340 is a military aircraft registered to the Saudi Air Force and assigned for Bandar’s use.

The U.S. government is looking at the flow of funds under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which gives law enforcement broad jurisdiction over questionable payments of funds and goods to government officials.

Justice Department spokesperson Laura Sweeney said that "the department has not confirmed that investigation," but BAE itself has confirmed that it is being investigated by U.S. and British officials.

"BAE Systems' view is that the interests of the company as well as all of its stakeholders, including the general public, are best served by allowing the ongoing investigations to run their course," spokesman John Neilson told the Star-Telegram in a prepared statement. "The company is working with regulators towards that end and is providing access to people, information and premises whenever requested."

The British investigation into BAE payments to the Saudis was quashed by then-Prime Minister Tony Blair in December 2006 after Bandar complained to him that the corruption probe would damage relations, especially on counterterrorism.

[Captain Hilts]

1. Reason #4,317 to hate the Dallas Cowboys. nt

[madokie]

2. WTF did the cowboys have to do with this?

[Captain Hilts]

5. The colors attract the 'wrong element' - corrupt Saudi Princes tight with the Bush family. nt

[madokie]

9. I understand

[madinmaryland]

17. Ahh yes. Another Cowboy hater. Duly noted, Danny-boy. Sue me!

[n2doc]

3. Bandar Bush is untouchable

I am surprised this has been allowed to progress this far. I am sure "nothing" will be found....

[troubledamerican]

30. Report: Bandar under house arrest for attempted coup. August 2009.

http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=102313§ionid=351020205

In kingdom, Saudi prince's coup 'fails'
Sun, 02 Aug 2009 17:03:54 GMT

Saudi Prince Bandar bin Sultan, the kingdom's former ambassador to the United States, is reportedly under house arrest over a conspiracy against the monarch.

Saad al-Faqih, head of the opposition group Islamic Reform Movement, told Arab-language TV al-Alam that Prince Bandar has been disappeared and the media has published no word from the ex-diplomat's whereabouts since nearly three months ago.

According to al-Faqih, the prince first disappeared in Britain but he returned to the kingdom shortly afterwards.

He added that after Saudi officials discovered that he had provoked 200 agents working for the Saudi security service to stage a coup against King Abdullah, he was put under house arrest.

Al-Faqih said people close to the king had disclosed Bandar's plots and foiled them.

He said Saudi sources believe that intelligence provided by some Arab countries help the Saudi monarch foil Prince Bandar's conspiracy.

Power struggle between members of the Saudi royal family has been common as power is shared among some 200 princes out of the estimated 7000 family members.

Known as Bandar Bush because of his close relations with former US President George W Bush, the prince is son of Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz.

[LiberalAndProud]

4. What an odd article.

The half is all about how Bandar is a really big cowboys fan. We don't read about the cloud of corruption until the 10th paragraph of what appears at first glance to be all about fluff.

Tony Blair quashing investigations? Who'd have thunk it?

[JackRiddler]

6. knr

[Ikonoklast]

7. I would love to live long enough to see oil be made irrelevant.

I detest the Saudis and their enablers.

[Arugula Latte]

15. Lately I've been speculating about what will happen to them if

a source of plentiful, cheap (and hopefully clean) energy is devised. Then, the Saudis have got nothin', as far as I can see. On the one hand, there is some satisfaction in that. On the other ... the Saudis will be plunged into poverty. The ramifications are scary. Will they turn even more towards radical Islam? Will there be more Saudi-originated terrorism?

[bobthedrummer]

8. The "commissions" and other BAE "business practices" included funding real terrorists...

[leveymg]

10. The Saudi Royal Family "Yamamah" slush fund totals $60 billion, funds influence buying in US and UK,

as well as other important projects, such as funding arms for paramilitary groups and insurgencies. This case have been under seal in DC District Court for over two years. See, http://journals.democraticunderground.com/leveymg/352

Big arms deals fund oil sheikh's small arms deals, the spinoffs of which (e.g., 9/11) justify more big arms deals. What a perfect world!

[babylonsister]

11. I'm glad this hasn't been forgotten, though the Cowboys

connection seems gratuitous. Whatever. I read it! And I'm a Giants fan. :hide;

[Liberal In Texas]

12. This is probably the aircraft:

It's the blue and sliver of the "Cowboys".

If you read the OP's link it explains that Jerry Jones and the "Prince" seem like bosom buddies. I feel happy that we kept the new Cowboy's stadium monstrosity out of Dallas and forced them to move to redder Arlington. The fools in Arlington (Tarrant County, not Dallas County) passed a tax on their citizens to build the new stadium so that the likes of the Saudi prince will loll in a 500K luxury in a sky box on the level of the "Ring of Honor". These Saudi princes are overprivileged dirtbags who have been one of the instruments of the economic Waterloo of the United States. Bush*, Jones and the rest of them are traitors. Filthy rich bastards who have been the enablers to bring our country to its knees.




Untitled (Saudi Arabia Ministry of Defence and Aviation)
Airbus A340-213)
HZ-124 (cn 004)


A perennial visitor at Dulles. Aircraft of the Saudi ambassador to the USA.

Seen leaving KUL after King Abdullah official visit to Malaysia


Becoming a common sight at Birmingham, this A340 approached quite low and landed on the piano keys.


HZ-124 (cn 004) Countless antennas line the roof, as this A342 sits at the old ITB


Credits to Airliners.net whom I have hot linked from, they'll understand. One of the finest resources of civilian aviation around. I've donated my pix so tit for tat.

[leveymg]

29. It's more tasteful than I had expected. That's one nice private jet.

Wish I had $60 billion in play money.

[spanone]

13. funny how the liberal media fails to connect the dots between bandar, bu$hco, war etc.

[RB TexLa]

14. If I bribe an official of a foreign government what the hell does US or uk law have to do with that?

[Forkboy]

16. To be fair, I'm suspicious of every Cowboys fan.

:hide:

[madinmaryland]

18. Put the video camera away, Belicheck!

:grr:

(and stay away from my sister!)

[Forkboy]

20. Next time you visit her say hi to the rest of the Palin gang.

:yoiks:

[madinmaryland]

22. Funny that you mention that...

We were talking several months ago, and I asked her what Wasilla was like. She gave me that :wtf: look and said "We drove through there when we took you up to see Denali State Park"

:rofl:

Apparently you haven't followed my posts about her.

[Forkboy]

24. LOL...that's funny.

Wasilla clearly left an impression...or not. :D

[Liberal In Texas]

19. I live here. I don't watch them. Ever at all anymore.

Jerry Jones (the owner) is one of the biggest dirtbags to come down the pike.

[Forkboy]

21. He is, but if you're a fan you're a fan.

Every team has its share of Repubs and dirtbags. There's no escaping it as a sports fan. For me, it's only an issue when the owners/athletes enter the political arena and start spouting nuttery, a la Curt Schilling. Otherwise, I do my best to keep my politics and my sports separate. Sometimes it's unavoidable, but for the most part the political leanings of these guys don't bother me much.

[madinmaryland]

23. Curt Shilling played for the BOSTON Red Sox!

:rofl:

You're right. As long as they STFU about their political beliefs....

[Forkboy]

25. His blog is hilarious.

It almost reads like satire of the Freepers until you realize he's serious. Then its even funnier. :)

[madinmaryland]

26. And to think he can win Ted Kennedy's seat.

Definitely a few cards short of a full deck!

With his spouting he might do about as well as Phil Giordano did against Joe LIEberman in 2000. Not that I am suggesting Curt is a Phil Giordano.

[Forkboy]

27. People here are passionate about both sports and politics.

What Curt doesn't get is that we're pretty good at separating the two.

[madinmaryland]

28. What Curt doesn't get, is that NE abhors the policies of the reich wing repubs.

I suppose he could run for Governor of South Carolina.

[Jazzgirl]

31. What's so bad is I live in Arlington.

I used to live in the area where the stadiums are. Fortunately, I don't now. Unfortunately Jerry Jones also comes from my home town Springfield, MO. How could I get so lucky. Nope....I am not a Cowboy or Rangers fan either.

[tammywammy]

32. I live in Arlington

I'm worried about traffic tomorrow, I get off work at 4 in Grapevine and I'm just south of the stadium.

And I really don't care about Jerry Jones, I think the stadium's pretty and I hardly ever go to Rangers games either.