Bribes, blackmail, bombs and Britain

To make this clear before the endless details cloud the issue, the story goes a little something like this. Anti-corruption campaigners claim that BAE (an arms dealer) paid bribes to Saudi Arabian royal family members so they could seal the deal on a £43 billion weapons deal. Yes that's 43 BILLION pounds of weapons sold to the Saudis who have been criticised for their human rights records in the past by human rights groups. There have also been recent reports of a woman on trial for witchcraft which has re-awoken the controversy and debate over whether the UK and US should have close ties with the country.

BAE denies the allegations and said the deal was a legal government to government deal. Despite this, the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) began investigations into the anti-corruption campaigners' claims. Tony Blair then reportedly applied "irresistible pressure" on the SFO to stop investigating the case on the grounds that British national security would be threatened if they carried on. Hmmmm the anti-corruption campaigners thought.

Internal memos from the SFO showed they had received warnings from the Saudis that "British lives would be lost" if the investigation into the fraud and bribery continued. One Judge who heard the case said it was “just as if a gun had been held to the director’s head" and that the government had caved in to blackmail.

The anti-corruption claim threats of "another 7/7" were issued to stop the deal investigation thus ensuring that huge contracts were secured and to reassure any future arms-buying punter that dealings in Britain are safe. No investigation means no charges of bribery and fraud being brought against BAE and the British government, and if the leaked threats are to be believed it also protects our national security! Let us know what you think about this win win situation.