TIMESONLINE: The US Department of Justice (DoJ) is in talks to establish whether it can launch a formal inquiry into alleged bribery and corruption in BAE Systems, The Times has learnt.
Mike O’Brien, the Solicitor-General, acknowledged that the UK’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has met the DoJ to discuss allegations of corrupt practices by BAE.
The DoJ is understood to be looking into whether it has the jurisdiction to pursue BAE over payments allegedly made to win defence contracts from foreign governments. The British Government terminated a similar investigation by the SFO in December amid fears that it would cause a breakdown in relations with Saudi Arabia.
The SFO has six continuing investigations into BAE, involving contracts won from South Africa, Chile, Romania, Tanzania, Qatar and the Czech Republic. Last week it emerged that an official at the US Embassy in London had complained formally to the British Government over the decision to stop the SFO’s Saudi investigation. US seeks to pursue BAE over claims company paid bribes (Read on) by David Robertson
Mark Alexander
