US objected to end of BAE inquiry (Saudi Arabia)

[Eugene]

Source: BBC

Last Updated: Friday, 27 April 2007, 08:16 GMT 09:16 UK

US objected to end of BAE inquiry

The US issued a formal diplomatic protest against the ending
of the Serious Fraud Office's (SFO) inquiry into BAE Systems,
the BBC understands.

The SFO ended its investigation into a 1986 arms deal with
Saudi Arabia in December 2006 saying it was not in the public
interest to continue.

In January a US embassy official issued a verbal protest
at the Foreign Office.

-snip-

The SFO was investigating claims that Britain's biggest
defence firm had paid bribes to secure the Al Yamamah arms
deal with Saudi Arabia in the 1980s.

-snip-

Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/6598303.stm