Posted on 11/18/2006 8:54:15 PM PST by FLOutdoorsman
LONDON - Saudi Arabia has threatened to suspend diplomatic links with Britain unless it blocks a probe into an alleged multi-million pound slush fund for some members of its royal family, the Sunday Times reported.
The Serious Fraud Office (SFO), which investigates and prosecutes complex fraud cases, has been examining claims that British defence company BAE Systems established a 60 million pound fund (89 million euros, 114 million dollars).
This allegedly provided perks such as luxury cars to ensure that the Saudis kept buying from BAE, the paper said.
The Saudi ambassador to London, Prince Mohammed bin Nawaf, visited Prime Minister Tony Blair’s chief of staff, Jonathan Powell, at Downing Street in September, the Sunday Times reported, quoting anonymous sources.
He said that unless the inquiry was dropped, diplomatic ties would be cut, the paper added.
Intelligence co-operation over Al Qaeda would also be stopped, it said.
The ultimatum came after SFO lawyers persuaded a Swiss magistrate to force disclosure of details about confidential Swiss bank accounts, it added.
In August, Saudi Arabia announced that it would buy 72 Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft in a multi-billion pound deal which saves thousands of jobs at BAE Systems.
The sale was the latest in a series of lucrative deals, which date back to 1985.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-2459780,00.html
Very interesting.
This story has been out for years.
Its well known that when the saudi royal family would visit the UK, especially any of the ones tied to weapons system buying, BAE would basically call luxury department stores telling to let them charge whatever they want and would be reimbursed to this BAE slush fund.
These shoping sprees ran into the millions of dollars each time.
BAE Systems does U.S. defense work, too, in 30 states. It bought several American defense company subsidiaries several years ago, including a branch of Lockheed (formerly Sanders Associates) here in New Hampshire.
"He said that unless the inquiry was dropped, diplomatic ties would be cut, the paper added."
SA is a corrupt, chauvinistic nation, drunk with their own importance and oil. They would be bedouin rug traders if not for the west's reliance on the oil. Now, somehow looks into some account that looks fishy, and they want to cut ties with one of the few civilized nations left? True colors are starting to fly around the planet. Problem is, once the monarchy goes, all hell breaks loose.
First you discredit them to their own people and than they will fall ...
My theory is that one of the major reasons for invading Iraq, is so we can establish a military presence in the Middle East and finally be able to tell the Saudis to stick it, instead of having to rely on them for bases.
Not that it matters to anyone anywhere, the 911 hijackers were from Saudi Arabia.
But it all starts at the FFO (Frivolous Fraud Office)....they just don't get enough credit.
New York city officials have rejected a $10m donation from a prominent member of the Saudi royal family after he said America should "re-examine its policies" in the wake of the attacks on New York and Washington.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/1594483.stm
Guiliani said in his book that this guy was laughing and snickering when visiting the site. There men are butchers, or pay the butcher. SA is a cesspool of terrorist turds, but they can buy new tunics and bad cologne to try and cover up the smell.
Saudia Arabia is the #2 prime target after Iran.
Actually, it is a tie. Knock them both out!
What have we seen by the way of a serious "energy policy" to do something to eliminate this problem since Jeemy Carter created the Department of Energy?
10 million is NOTHING to these guys. The offer by itself was an insult. After Guilianni told them to "stuff it", remember what Cynthia McKinney did? WROTE A LETTER TO THE SAUDI, pleading with him to give the money to her district.
Whatever happened to Cynthia bad hair day McKinney? Not that it matters.
You noticed that too!! And by some wild coincidence, we just happen to be right-next-door to both Iran and Syria!!
Gosh, I just love it when things happen by coincidence, like four Battle Groups just showing up in the Arabian Sea. Don't you just love it too? Stay well armed and safe, dfwgator...............FRegards
The Ministry of Silly Walks seldom gets credit either.
That's why 20 years from now, all the people that today criticize invading Iraq will be thanking their lucky stars that we did so.
That's a distinct probability!
I wish the lands in the Middle East weren't so desert like and more of a tropical paradise. The land is just worthless. I do like the oil reserves.....
Well, if the muzzies had spent their oil-money on irrigation, de-salinisation, landscaping, and heavy industries, instead of Military equipment and lavish palaces at home and all over the world, their lands would look pretty much like Israel!
And all they want to do is destroy Israel! Go figger! Stay well armed and safe..............FRegards
Tulsa, I don't know if I'll live to see the day we don't neeed ME oil. But, if I did, then next thing I'd hope for is to see the Arabs become the camel traders that they are. Nobody will miss them.
Two of the 9/11 hijackers had their San Diego rent paid by the wife of The Saudi Ambassador to the US, 'Prince' Bandar now since set back to the organized crime family home.
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