U.S. Justice Moves Irk U.K. Officials

U.S. Justice Moves Irk U.K. Officials
By andrew chuter and vago muradian
Published: 23 May 15:42 EDT (11:42 GMT)

LONDON - U.K. officials are increasingly frustrated with the tactics the U.S. Justice Department is using to investigate allegations that BAE Systems bribed Saudi Arabian officials in the 1980s in exchange for defense contracts, sources said.

BAE CEO Mike Turner and nonexecutive director Nigel Rudd - who is chief of the British Airports Authority - were subpoenaed upon entering the United States May 13. Several other top BAE North America executives also were subpoenaed.

Turner and Rudd's computers and Blackberrys were briefly confiscated and "examined" before being returned, BAE said. BAE denies any wrongdoing.

Justice launched its probe last May, claiming BAE violated the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act by transferring funds to Saudi officials via a U.S. bank. Justice opened its probe after then-Prime Minister Tony Blair, citing national security concerns, shuttered a long-running British investigation into the same charges.

The subpoenas come as Britain awaits Senate Foreign Relations Committee approval of licenses for U.S. components on Eurofighter Typhoon jets bought by Saudi Arabia.


Rest of article at: http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i=3545317&c=AME&s=AIR