De Lille said she would be travelling to Germany in coming weeks to hand over the information she had to German prosecutors investigating claims of corruption in the supply of warships to South Africa by Thomson CSF and Thyssen Krupp, because of a lack of co-operation from the South African authorities.

Crawford-Browne, who has campaigned for the cancellation of the arms procurement packages, wrote to the SFO on Friday requesting an investigation into the BAE/South Africa deal.

The Economists Allied for Arms Reduction (ECAAR) chairman said in his letter it was understood that the "serious bribes" for the BAE contracts were distributed only after the financial arrangements were completed in April 2000. He claims the payments were facilitated by Richard Charter, who died two years ago, and Zimbabwean businessman John Bredenkamp.

"The arms deal has unleashed corruption in South Africa that now jeopardises our celebrated triumph over apartheid. I trust you will investigate the hold that BAE has had over successive British prime ministers, and how this corrupt relationship embroiled Britain in five wars during the first six years of Blair's terms of office," the letter said. It also requested that the payment of bribes by BAE to secure contracts in South Africa be prioritised.

The Guardian reported that details of the South African investigation emerged soon after the UK government abruptly halted an SFO inquiry into alleged bribes paid by BAE to Saudi royals. It claimed that British Prime Minister Tony Blair said Britain's security would be endangered if the investigation continued.

The SFO is also pursuing its investigations into allegations that BAE made corrupt payments to politicians and officials in other countries.

(Culled from the Cape Argus [of Cape Town] of January 7, 2007)