As my first post in this new blog I want to add a couple of articles on a recent UK news, just to communicate my sense of relief and scandal...we Italians are not the only country of massive corruption pardon.
"Risk to British lives ended Saudi jet probeGovernment told sharing of intelligence on al-Qaeda would be ended
Gaby Hinsliff and Antony BarnettSunday
December 17, 2006The Observer
Saudi Arabia threatened to stop sharing vital intelligence - particularly intercepted communications between al-Qaeda members active there - unless Britain suspended its investigation into a controversial arms deal, The Observer can reveal.
Senior Whitehall sources said the Saudis warned they would also kick out British military and intelligence personnel based in the country.
'They were threatening everything: intelligence, everything. The US and the UK have got their bases in Saudi, that is their "in" to the Middle East,' said one source. 'Essentially, the line was that British lives could be lost if this relationship broke down. It would have been them freezing everybody out and speaking to nobody about anything.'
The investigation into allegations that BAE Systems paid bribes to senior Saudis was dropped last Thursday following a detailed report from the security services. Saudi sources insisted yesterday the real reason was that the firm - which had said it risked losing a £6bn deal for the Saudis to buy 72 Typhoon jets - could have gone bust if it lost contracts.
However the intelligence threats appear to have been made after months of commercial ones failed to get the desired result. One senior intelligence expert said the Saudis' contribution to the battle against al-Qaeda could not be underestimated: 'The Saudis are very, very important. Mucking up that relationship is something you do not do.'
The fight against terrorism itself could have been at risk. The Serious Fraud Office's director, Robert Wardle, confirmed yesterday in an interview with the Financial Times that he was convinced to drop the case by national security considerations. However, Whitehall sources said the Attorney-General, Lord Goldsmith, had gone further by concluding there was little chance of bringing charges.
Goldsmith believed the main evidence gathered so far dated back to before the introduction of Britain's current anti-corruption laws, which meant it might not be prosecutable. Goldsmith also thought the SFO would be obstructed by the constitutional position of the Saudi royal family in their country's government: they are only held liable under law when acting in a government capacity, rather than as royals.
MPs, however, are reluctant to let the issue drop. Members of the powerful Commons public accounts select committee are now pushing to be allowed to see the findings of the National Audit Office report - suppressed by the then Conservative government - into the original Al-Yamamah deal.
That was a £1.02bn contract signed in 1988, agreeing that BAE would supply the Saudis with fighters, jet trainers, air bases and personnel. The present Typhoon contract forms part of its third and most recent phase.
John Pugh, a Liberal Democrat member of the committee, has argued that the MPs could examine the audit office findings in confidence, allowing at least some parliamentary oversight."
An article appeared on "Corriere della Sera" on saturday 16th December 2006, p. 11 (no signature because of strike) says:
"LONDON - "in the national interest": with this justification Lord Goldsmith, british Attorney General, announced the end of the investigations Bay Systems, the biggest defense UK industry. A story started in the 80s, with the agreement Al Yamamah (the dove) which brought to BAE, the former British Aerospace, 40 billions of pounds (60 billions of euros). Monez spent by the Saudi government to improve his armed forces with a bit of londonish shopping: 72 Tornado, 50 Hawk, 2 aereal bases, keys at hand.
Just a couple of years ago, it was discovered that in order to convince the Saudis on the quality of materials made in Britain someone had thought to amuse a prince in Riad. With gifts of almost 100 millions of pounds. First beneficiary, acording to the allegations, the prince Turki bin Nasser, deputy Commander of the Saudi airforce.
Everything ok for almost 20 years, until some details of the agreement did not appear on the English press. A small travel agency in London would have furnished a serial of "packs" to prince Turki and his vast followers: staying in five star hotels, rent of aeroplanes, limousines. The charter borrowed to the Saudis on holidays once was a Boeing 747: there was need of space for souvenirs to be brought home. Once to Mrs. Truki a Rolls-Royce arrived for her birthday. Counts made, the hypothesis estimate these benefits to be around 7 millions of pounds of value per year, amount to be multiplied for several years, being the contract signed in 1988. Everything paid by BAE, according to this reconstruction. The "Serious Fraud Office" had opened an investigation for corruption.
Then, in August, Riad announced the intention of renewing its crew with 72 Typhoon Eurofighters, produced always by the british company. But the Saudis also saidthat the investigation of London was a reason of embarassment, filtering the hypothesis of a negotiation with french. Then, according to the press, they simply gave an ultimatum: ten days to close the investigation. It was the beginning of December. Punctual came the announcement of Lord Goldsmith: "It was necessary to balance the necessity to respect the law with a wider interest. The Prime Minister clearly expressed that the continuation of the invesitgation would have seriously damaged the british and saudi security, the diplomatic cooperation and the field of intelligence, with a very negative impact on the UK national interest".
We gave up to the blackmail, said the opposition. Tony Blair assumed the "complete responsability" of the decision. "Our relationship with Riad is vital in the fight against terrorism and for the israel-palestine negotiations. The strategic interest comes first", he said. On these patriotic news the value of the BAE shares grew of the 6% yesterday: almost 900 millions of pounds."
I will not add personal comments, apart from one: is this one characteristic of the war against terrorism: terrorism=domestic industry protection at any cost?
"Risk to British lives ended Saudi jet probeGovernment told sharing of intelligence on al-Qaeda would be ended
Gaby Hinsliff and Antony BarnettSunday
December 17, 2006The Observer
Saudi Arabia threatened to stop sharing vital intelligence - particularly intercepted communications between al-Qaeda members active there - unless Britain suspended its investigation into a controversial arms deal, The Observer can reveal.
Senior Whitehall sources said the Saudis warned they would also kick out British military and intelligence personnel based in the country.
'They were threatening everything: intelligence, everything. The US and the UK have got their bases in Saudi, that is their "in" to the Middle East,' said one source. 'Essentially, the line was that British lives could be lost if this relationship broke down. It would have been them freezing everybody out and speaking to nobody about anything.'
The investigation into allegations that BAE Systems paid bribes to senior Saudis was dropped last Thursday following a detailed report from the security services. Saudi sources insisted yesterday the real reason was that the firm - which had said it risked losing a £6bn deal for the Saudis to buy 72 Typhoon jets - could have gone bust if it lost contracts.
However the intelligence threats appear to have been made after months of commercial ones failed to get the desired result. One senior intelligence expert said the Saudis' contribution to the battle against al-Qaeda could not be underestimated: 'The Saudis are very, very important. Mucking up that relationship is something you do not do.'
The fight against terrorism itself could have been at risk. The Serious Fraud Office's director, Robert Wardle, confirmed yesterday in an interview with the Financial Times that he was convinced to drop the case by national security considerations. However, Whitehall sources said the Attorney-General, Lord Goldsmith, had gone further by concluding there was little chance of bringing charges.
Goldsmith believed the main evidence gathered so far dated back to before the introduction of Britain's current anti-corruption laws, which meant it might not be prosecutable. Goldsmith also thought the SFO would be obstructed by the constitutional position of the Saudi royal family in their country's government: they are only held liable under law when acting in a government capacity, rather than as royals.
MPs, however, are reluctant to let the issue drop. Members of the powerful Commons public accounts select committee are now pushing to be allowed to see the findings of the National Audit Office report - suppressed by the then Conservative government - into the original Al-Yamamah deal.
That was a £1.02bn contract signed in 1988, agreeing that BAE would supply the Saudis with fighters, jet trainers, air bases and personnel. The present Typhoon contract forms part of its third and most recent phase.
John Pugh, a Liberal Democrat member of the committee, has argued that the MPs could examine the audit office findings in confidence, allowing at least some parliamentary oversight."
An article appeared on "Corriere della Sera" on saturday 16th December 2006, p. 11 (no signature because of strike) says:
"LONDON - "in the national interest": with this justification Lord Goldsmith, british Attorney General, announced the end of the investigations Bay Systems, the biggest defense UK industry. A story started in the 80s, with the agreement Al Yamamah (the dove) which brought to BAE, the former British Aerospace, 40 billions of pounds (60 billions of euros). Monez spent by the Saudi government to improve his armed forces with a bit of londonish shopping: 72 Tornado, 50 Hawk, 2 aereal bases, keys at hand.
Just a couple of years ago, it was discovered that in order to convince the Saudis on the quality of materials made in Britain someone had thought to amuse a prince in Riad. With gifts of almost 100 millions of pounds. First beneficiary, acording to the allegations, the prince Turki bin Nasser, deputy Commander of the Saudi airforce.
Everything ok for almost 20 years, until some details of the agreement did not appear on the English press. A small travel agency in London would have furnished a serial of "packs" to prince Turki and his vast followers: staying in five star hotels, rent of aeroplanes, limousines. The charter borrowed to the Saudis on holidays once was a Boeing 747: there was need of space for souvenirs to be brought home. Once to Mrs. Truki a Rolls-Royce arrived for her birthday. Counts made, the hypothesis estimate these benefits to be around 7 millions of pounds of value per year, amount to be multiplied for several years, being the contract signed in 1988. Everything paid by BAE, according to this reconstruction. The "Serious Fraud Office" had opened an investigation for corruption.
Then, in August, Riad announced the intention of renewing its crew with 72 Typhoon Eurofighters, produced always by the british company. But the Saudis also saidthat the investigation of London was a reason of embarassment, filtering the hypothesis of a negotiation with french. Then, according to the press, they simply gave an ultimatum: ten days to close the investigation. It was the beginning of December. Punctual came the announcement of Lord Goldsmith: "It was necessary to balance the necessity to respect the law with a wider interest. The Prime Minister clearly expressed that the continuation of the invesitgation would have seriously damaged the british and saudi security, the diplomatic cooperation and the field of intelligence, with a very negative impact on the UK national interest".
We gave up to the blackmail, said the opposition. Tony Blair assumed the "complete responsability" of the decision. "Our relationship with Riad is vital in the fight against terrorism and for the israel-palestine negotiations. The strategic interest comes first", he said. On these patriotic news the value of the BAE shares grew of the 6% yesterday: almost 900 millions of pounds."
I will not add personal comments, apart from one: is this one characteristic of the war against terrorism: terrorism=domestic industry protection at any cost?
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