Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Israeli media: At least two soldiers killed by anti-tank missile fired at Israeli army forces in the Gaza Strip
Local Syrian sources: Mortar shells fell on more than nine villages in the Sweida countryside
Local Syrian sources: Dozens of dead and wounded have arrived at Sweida hospitals as a result of ongoing clashes at several locations in the western Sweida countryside
Local sources: Civilians, including children and women, were injured in the al-Maqous neighborhood of Sweida, in Syria, as a result of ongoing clashes
Israeli media outlet: Security incident reported in the Gaza Strip
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson: No new date or venue has been set for the meeting between Araghchi and Witkoff, and no negotiations will take place until the outcome is guaranteed
Palestinian platforms: Settlers storm Al-Aqsa Mosque complex under the protection of the occupation police
Palestinian platforms: The IOF detonated a booby-trapped robot east of the al-Zaytoun neighborhood, south of Gaza City
Syrian Defense: We call on all parties in Sweida to cooperate with security forces and exercise restraint
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The Lebanese Army is continuing its investigations and will later announce any information that does not affect the confidentiality of the investigation

UK govt facilitated bribery of Saudi officials to win over contracts

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 27 Nov 2023 16:14
3 Min Read

Jeffrey Cook, the former managing director of an Airbus subsidiary GPT Special Project Management, is accused of corruption for giving almost 9.7 million pounds ($12.2 million) to middlemen for contracts with the Saudi Arabian National Guard.  

  • x
  • An Emirates cargo flight takes off over an Emirates Airbus A380 on display at the Dubai Air Show in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Nov. 13, 2023. (AP)
    An Emirates cargo flight takes off over an Emirates Airbus A380 on display at the Dubai Air Show in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Nov. 13, 2023 (AP)

In order to get and keep lucrative contracts, prominent Saudi Arabian officials were paid millions of pounds by the British government over many years, according to the attorneys for a former civil servant who is being charged with corruption on Monday.

Jeffrey Cook, the former managing director of an Airbus subsidiary GPT Special Project Management, is accused of corruption for giving almost 9.7 million pounds ($12.2 million) to middlemen for contracts with the Saudi Arabian National Guard.  

He is being charged with one count of corruption between 2007 and 2012 alongside John Mason, and both defendants deny the claims while Cook's lawyer Tom Allen explains to jurors at Southwark Crown Court that the middlemen were paid from the late 1970s "with the oversight, with the approval (and) with the encouragement of our government".  

Read next: Indonesia threatens to sue UK over Airbus bribery probe deal

However, Prosecutor Mark Heywood argued last week that both men were at the center of "deep corruption" to cash in bribes from figures such as Prince Miteb bin Abdullah, son of the late King Abdullah.

Allen added on Monday that there was no dispute regarding the 9.7 million pounds being paid, but Cook did not act corruptly, claiming that senior UK politicians and diplomats knew and consented to the nearly 60 million pounds from 1978 - described by a former ambassador to Saudi Arabia as a "deniable fiddle". 

'Never upsetting Saudi Arabia'

Related News

Saudi firm revealed to be money funneling channel from US to Royals

GPT, the only business to provide communications systems to the Saudi Arabian National Guard (SANG) under a contract with Britain's MoD, was the main defendant in the case.

Allen explained to the jury that the main issue in the trial was "who dances – and how – to the Saudi tune", adding: "It is and always has been the (British) government and the MoD and Jeffrey Cook is being hung out to dry whilst the government hides its blushes".

According to the prosecutor, the UK is always careful about never upsetting "the Saudis because there is so much at stake" especially given the bilateral political and diplomatic relationship.  

Today Defence Secretary @BWallaceMP hosted HRH Prince Khalid bin Salman, the Minister for Defence of Saudi Arabia.

Building on the long-standing UK-Saudi relationship, they signed a new defence agreement as part of a shared commitment to security.

➡️ https://t.co/WYyLR1DbOL pic.twitter.com/AAePqdVY3T

— Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) December 13, 2022

Allen summarized the Saudi position as being: "If you want to do business with us, the SANG, in our country, then you need to pay."  

On the other hand, the second defendant's lawyer Graham Brodie claimed the UK MoD consented the payments as a result of it being "in the financial interests and, perhaps more importantly to the government, it was in the strategic interests of the UK".  

The trial is expected to end next year. 

It is noteworthy that the openDemocracy news website mentioned in late September last year that since the war on Yemen began in 2015, UK's BAE Systems sold £15bn worth of weapons to Saudi Arabia, including Typhoon and Tornado fighter jets, despite its spokesperson claiming that the company's work for Saudi Arabia "does not involve the company in military operational activity and our people are not involved in the loading of weapons for operational sorties."

It was a pleasure to tour BAE Systems in Warton, UK, during my visit and view the company’s future plans and strategies, their program for future combat air system as well as their modern air systems design and development site. pic.twitter.com/7qR4CW4lLY

— Khalid bin Salman خالد بن سلمان (@kbsalsaud) December 14, 2022

Read more: UK FM arrives to Saudi Arabia to discuss Gaza, boost diplomatic effort

  • Miteb bin Abdullah
  • UK
  • United Kingdom
  • Saudi Arabia

Most Read

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Major ambush in Gaza kills 6 Israeli troops, injures dozens

Major ambush in Gaza kills 5 Israeli troops, injures 14

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Israeli soldiers are seen in Beit Hanoun ahead of an operation by the al-Qassam Brigades, undated (Al-Qassam Brigades Military Media)

'Israel' on blast as media exposes report discrepancies in Gaza ambush

  • Palestine
  • 8 Jul 2025
Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

Yemen Navy sinks ETERNITY C ship, shares footage of operation

  • Politics
  • 9 Jul 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
The Freedom Flotilla ship Handala as it departs for Gaza, where it aims to break the maritime blockade at a port in Syracuse, Sicily in southern Italy on July 13, 2025. (AFP)
Palestine

Freedom Flotilla's Handala departs Sicily in bid to break Gaza siege

The container ship CMA CGM Laperouse, left, docks at the Georgia Ports Authority's Port of Savannah, Sept. 29, 2021, in Savannah, Ga (AP)
Politics

US shipbuilding woes deepen as tariffs, outdated policies backfire

Gaza war raises ethical questions for ex-Obama, Biden officials
Politics

Mercenary firm tied to Gaza war crimes hires Obama-Biden PR operatives

'Israel' targets children in Gaza collecting water
Palestine

'Israel' strikes Gaza kids fetching water, blames it on 'malfunction'

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS