"A series of payments from the British firm was allegedly channelled through a US bank in Washington to an account controlled by one of the most colourful members of the Saudi ruling clan, who spent 20 years as their ambassador in the US. It is claimed that payments of £30m were paid to Prince Bandar every quarter for at least 10 years. It is alleged by insider legal sources that the money was paid to Prince Bandar with the knowledge and authorisation of Ministry of Defence officials under the Blair government and its predecessors. For more than 20 years, ministers have claimed they knew nothing of secret commissions, which were outlawed by Britain in 2002."
PS Can you imagine if there is accountability in Saudi Arabia? How much would be revealed? About how many members of the royal family? And what about US companies and Prince Khalid Bin Sultan during the 1991 war (a senior (then) US military official told me about that recently)? And what about Prince Sultan himself? Wait? Did Mr. Bush not mention transparency in the same sentence with Saudi Arabia just yesterday?