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The legal challenge
Latest on the judicial review.

SFO Saudi Arabia investigation
News on the decision to abandon the inquiry into alleged BAE corruption.

Other investigations into BAE
SFO probes into the company's dealings with other countries.

Latest: the legal challenge

SFO wins appeal in BAE-Saudi case as public outrage continues

The Law Lords have this morning upheld an appeal by the Director of the SFO against the High Court's ruling that he acted unlawfully in terminating a corruption investigation into BAE Systems' arms deals with Saudi Arabia.
News release 30 July 2008

CAAT and Corner House confident as appeal begins in Lords

The House of Lords will this week hear the Serious Fraud Office's appeal against the High Court's recent decision on a BAE corruption investigation.
News release 6 July 2008

High Court reopens BAE-Saudi corruption investigation

The High Court today formally quashed the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) decision to drop its corruption investigation into arms deals between BAE Systems and Saudi Arabia.
News release 24 April 2008

Court rules Government's termination of BAE investigation unlawful

The High Court this morning ruled that the Director of the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) acted unlawfully when he stopped a corruption investigation into BAE Systems' arms deals with Saudi Arabia.
News release 10 April 2008

New documents reveal BAE pressurised government to halt corruption investigation

Documents released in the High Court today reveal that Britain’s biggest arms company, BAE Systems, wrote to the Attorney General on a "strictly private and confidential" basis urging him to halt the Serious Fraud Office investigation.
News release 14 February 2008

Judicial Review Hearing

On 14-15 February, the High Court in London will hear the judicial review contesting the legality of the Serious Fraud Office's decision to terminate its investigation into alleged bribery by BAE Systems to secure a huge arms deal with Saudi Arabia.
Update 11 February 2008

17 January 2008: Judge orders further documents to be released

The Directions Hearing of 21 December 2007 was adjourned until 17 January 2008, when Lord Justice Moses ordered the SFO Director to disclose letters from BAE Systems to the Government requesting that the investigation be halted. Lord Justice Moses also ordered the SFO Director to disclose the government's reply.

Blair urged end to BAE-Saudi corruption investigation

Documents released in the High Court on Friday 21 December 2007 indicate that the SFO investigation into BAE's Saudi arms deals was dropped only after the then Prime Minister Tony Blair sent a 'Personal Minute' to the Attorney General Lord Goldsmith.
Update 21 December 2007

Landmark ruling on BAE-Saudi corruption case

At a hearing in the High Court on the 9th November, Lord Justice Moses, sitting with Mr Justice Irwin, granted permission to CAAT and The Corner House to bring a full judicial review hearing against the UK Government's decision to cut short the SFO investigation into alleged corruption by BAE Systems in recent arms deals with Saudi Arabia.
News release 9 November 2007

Mark Thomas benefit a sell-out show

Activist comedian Mark Thomas hosted a comedy night in support of CAAT and The Corner House's legal challenge. The show attracted more than 3,500 people and raised over £40,000. Read the special gig publication (pdf) and the Guardian review.

UK Government was willing to break international law to quash BAE investigation

Documents released following court action by activist comedian Mark Thomas reveal that the UK Government was prepared to break international law in order to terminate the Serious Fraud Office inquiry into BAE’s dealings with Saudi Arabia.
News release 9 July 2007

21 June 2007: Government refuses to allow SFO defence to be made public

While CAAT and The Corner House are waiting for a court date for the oral hearing to obtain permission for a Judicial Review, a side action has developed. The Government and the Court Service have been refusing to allow the Serious Fraud Office's defence of its actions in stopping the Al Yamamah inquiry to be made public. Whilst CAAT and The Corner House have seen the defence, we aren't allowed to pass it on or disclose what it says. The well-known campaigner and comedian, Mark Thomas is bringing a legal action asking that the SFO defence to be made public.

Challenge to judge’s refusal to permit judicial review

The Corner House and CAAT are to challenge the refusal of a High Court judge to grant permission for a judicial review of the government's decision to abandon the SFO investigation. The refusal was based on a review of the written arguments submitted to the court. The two campaign groups have now applied for a hearing at which they will be able to renew their application orally.
News release 7 June 2007

CAAT and The Corner House lodge full grounds for judicial review

CAAT and The Corner House have lodged full grounds for their judicial review of the decision to terminate the BAE-Saudi investigation. The full grounds are linked from the news release.
News release 20 April 2007

BAE admits to paying agent to investigate CAAT

BAE have admitted paying a private investigation agency to gather information on activists and groups including CAAT. BAE paid £2,500 per month to LigneDeux Associates, whose agent Paul Mercer passed information about CAAT to BAE's Director of Security, Mike McGinty.
News release 18 April 2007

Update: 12 March 2007

On 26th February the High Court ordered BAE to produce a sworn affidavit divulging how the company obtained a document which contained confidential and legally privileged advice from CAAT's solicitors regarding the judicial review. The affidavit has now been delivered to CAAT's solicitors, but, for legal reasons, no more can be said about it at the moment.

BAE defeated in court by CAAT

The High Court has ordered BAE to produce a sworn affidavit divulging how they obtained a confidential and legally privileged document belonging to CAAT. The document in question contained advice from CAAT's solicitors on the planned judicial review of the decision to drop a corruption probe into BAE's dealings with Saudi Arabia.
News release 26 February 2007

Update: 23 February 2007

CAAT and the Corner House have made the formal application to the Government for a judicial review of the decision to drop a corruption probe into BAE's dealings with Saudi Arabia. The application is in "skeleton" form, as CAAT is first having to deal with the leak to BAE of a document which contained confidential and legally privileged advice from CAAT's solicitors regarding the judicial review.

Statement on the Government's response & confidential material received by BAE

There is nothing in the Government's response which has dissuaded CAAT and the Corner House from their view that the decision was unlawful and is susceptible to challenge in the High Court. However, it has transpired that confidential and legally privileged material belonging to CAAT and relating to the proposed challenge has been received by BAE...
News release 25 January 2007

Government's defence of the SFO decision received

The Corner House and CAAT have today received the Government’s response to letters sent to the Serious Fraud Office, Attorney-General and Prime Minister on 18 December 2006. The Government contests their assertions that the SFO’s decision to drop the BAE-Saudi Arabia investigation was unlawful...
News release 19 January 2007

Update: 28 December 2006

The government's lawyers responded to the 'letter before claim' on 28 December stating that they would be unable to respond in the requested timescale but hoped to respond fully by 19 January. They did not take the view that the matter was urgent. CAAT and The Corner House agreed to extend the deadline for the government's response to 4pm on Friday 19 January, subject to BAE confirming that it would not take issue with this delay. This confirmation has now been received from BAE and the government's response is awaited.

Legal challenge to decision to drop BAE corruption inquiry

Last night The Corner House and CAAT began a legal challenge to the decision to drop the investigation into bribery allegations involving BAE in Saudi Arabia...
News release 19 December 2006