US disturbed by BAE corruption case

The United States has kept a close watch on developments in the BAE case, concerned, according to American officials, that cancellation of the Serious Fraud Office’s inquiry contradicts an antibribery convention overseen by the Paris-based Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Jaclyn Lesch, a Justice Department spokeswoman, would neither confirm nor deny whether the department had opened its own investigation. The Justice Department would become involved if it were determined there was a possible violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which forbids companies from making payments to foreign officials to win contracts.

“There would have to be some kind of U.S. nexus for us to bring charges,” Ms. Lesch said. BAE is a British company but has an American subsidiary. David Foley, a State Department spokesman on Middle East issues, referred all questions to the British government. Link