BAE gives prince’s daughter “honeymoon of a lifetime”
Splashed across the front page of yesterday’s Sunday Times was the news that BAE Systems forked out nearly a quarter of a million pounds for a luxury honeymoon for the daughter of Prince Bandar. Prince Bandar is the Saudi prince at the heart of allegations of backdoor payments from BAE in connection with the Al Yamamah arms deal.
The Sunday Times reports:
Peter Gardiner, managing director of the travel agency that organised the honeymoon, said: “BAE instructed me to give Bandar’s daughter and her husband the honeymoon of a lifetime at BAE’s expense. Who says that big business doesn’t have a heart?”
The disclosure is the first evidence that Bandar and his family may have benefited from secret payments made by BAE. The company and Bandar, who was Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Washington at the time, have denied any impropriety.
[…]
The honeymoon for Bandar’s daughter, Princess Reema, was paid for through a £60m slush fund which the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) believes was set up by BAE to encourage Saudi royals to continue with a £43 billion arms contract to supply Hawk and Tornado jets.
There is lots more detail in the article.
Posted in Al Yamamah, BAE, Prince Bandar | 1 Comment »
