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British Arms Company Admits that its Equipment May Have Been Used by Saudi Forces in its Military Intervention in Bahrain in 2011

2018-05-14 - 8:40 p

Bahrain Mirror: Chairman of the Board of BAE Systems for arms admitted that "BAE Systems equipment may have been used by Saudi forces in a military intervention to crush anti-government protests in Bahrain in 2011."

Roger Carr's confession came on the margin of company's annual general meeting for shareholders held on Thursday (May 10, 2018), the British "The Independent" newspaper reported.  Roger said that BAE Systems does not know whether its weapons are used to commit war crimes, however, he praised its "impeccable record on values".

He further stated that the company was not complicit in war crimes allegedly committed by Saudi Arabia using BAE-made planes and bombs in Yemen.

Asked whether any of its products were used in an airstrike that recently killed at least 20 people at a wedding, including the bride, he replied: "You don't know and I don't know."

The Independent said that monitors allege that weapons and aircraft manufactured by BAE Systems have been deployed to kill civilians and violate international law in Yemen. But British exports to Saudi Arabia have continued, with the UK licensing more than £4.6bn worth of arms to the country since the bombing started.

The company told the shareholders that prices and sales had risen in 2017, making it a "good year for BAE Systems", which stands as Britain's largest manufacturer, the biggest arms company in Europe and third-largest in the world with customers in more than 100 countries.

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