Court Orders Britain To Review Saudi, BAE Deal

LONDON — The British government must reconsider its decision to drop a bribery investigation into weapons contracts between Saudi Arabia and BAE Systems Plc a court ruled yesterday.

Two lobby groups opposed to the arms trade brought the judicial review in London's High Court, challenging a Serious Fraud Office decision to end the bribery probe in December 2006 because of national-security concerns.

Campaign Against Arms Trade and Corner House alleged at hearings in February that the SFO dropped the case after Saudi officials threatened to cancel orders for fighter jets and end cooperation on intelligence gathering. BAE won a $8.7 billon deal for 72 Eurofighter Typhoon warplanes after the inquiry was called off.