On July 30th 2008 many news sources are reporting that weapons maker, BAE Systems Plc has successfully dodged a corruption on inquiry by the UK House of Lords. The decision can not be appealed to a higher level in the UK court systems. Meanwhile Switzerland and the US continue investigation of the company, creating a situation that could prove embarrassing to the British government.
Swiss prosecutors accuse BAE Systems of using Swiss bank accounts bribe to officials from Saudi Arabia to get large no-bid contracts. The United States concurs, continuing its investigation into the matter. The State Department mentions the UK investigation in a 2008 investment climate statement as a cautionary tale, lauding British investigators for exposing a $80 billion dollar defense contract with Saudi Arabia.
Blogger Richard Holway illustrates that BAE Systems isn't doing to bad, financially. In fact it is bidding on multi-million dollar company Detica. Blogger Richard Murphy illustrates the ways in which the UK has used the umbrella of "National Security" to maintain a favorable business climate. The Campaign Against the Arms Trade has been at the center of much of the public pressure around the Saudi contracts and has vowed to keep pressure on the company, despite the most recent ruling.
