In today's edition of the Guardian it is reported that the Attorney General ordered British investigators to conceal from the OECD details of the investigation into BAe Systems plc concerning the Al Yamamah contract and payments made under that contract.
The Director of Serious Fraud Office confirms that the Attorney General Lord Goldsmith gave no such orders. The decision as to what information should be given to the OECD about the investigation was made by the SFO. The information provided by the SFO was as full as possible, having regard to the need to protect national security.
The Director of the SFO also reiterates that the decision to discontinue the investigation itself for reasons of protecting national security was his and was not made under pressure from the Attorney General.
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