Corruption is a Crime

Labour ministers are refusing to assist the Americans’ investigation into alleged corruption by BAE, the Guardian reports.

The newspaper claims that Home Secretary Jacqui Smith hasn’t approved a request for assistance made by the US authorities two months ago.

The formal request for assistance came from the US department of justice earlier in the summer, but Ms Smith has refused to pass it on to the Serious Fraud Office for processing in the normal way.

This is unusual behaviour towards a major ally, with whom legal cooperation is normally automatic. Last night, the Home Office said its failure to pass on the request was “not unprecedented”, but could not give any example of similar behaviour.

The SFO possesses important files on BAE gained from its own major inquiry into £1bn of payments to Prince Bandar of Saudi Arabia and other Swiss bank accounts linked to the Saudi royal family. But SFO investigators are not allowed to speak to US authorities until Home Office officials forward the paperwork.

The Government’s failure to assist the US inquiry has been condemned by Liberal Democrat MP Norman Lamb, who is quoted in the same story:

“There is no justification for delay. This information should be handed over immediately. Again, one is left with the suspicion that by refusing to cooperate, the government is more interested in securing arms deals than in the pursuit of justice.

“It makes a mockery of the government’s assertion that they are robustly tackling corruption.”

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