Four Arrested For Bribing Egyptian Arms Officials

LONDON [MENL] -- Finland has arrested four executives on charges of bribing
Egyptian officials to select a European artillery system.
Finland's National Bureau of Investigation has arrested four current and
former employees of Finnish arms maker Patria. The law enforcement agency
said the four, detained on June 3, were suspected of bribing Egyptian
officials around a decade ago in connection with Patria's effort to sell
Egypt an advanced self-propelled artillery. They were released that same
day.
In May 2008, Finnish police arrested another executive as part of an
investigation into suspected corruption related to the sale of Patria
armored personnel carriers to Slovenia. Patria has acknowledged the arrests
and said it was cooperating with the investigation.
"Today the NBI has searched Patria's premises in connection with
Patria's howitzer project in Egypt," Patria said on June 3. "Patria
cooperates actively with all relevant authorities in order to bring
clearness to the open questions."