Blair called for BAE inquiry to be halted

(The Corner House, Dorset, 22 December 2007) Documents released in the High Court on 21 December 2007 indicate that the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) investigation into BAE's ECGD supported Saudi arms deals was dropped only after then Prime Minister Tony Blair sent a personal minute to the Attorney General Lord Goldsmith. They show that Goldsmith did not believe that the case should be dropped in response to alleged Saudi threats to withdraw intelligence and security co-operation. The documents are a witness statement from the Director of the Serious Fraud Office, Robert Wardle, and nine redacted (words and sentences excluded) typed-up letters between the Prime Minister and/or Cabinet Office (the government department supporting the Prime Minister) and the Attorney General (which superintends the Director of the Serious Fraud Office) dating from December 2005 to December 2006.