Saudi diplomats sent home after being accused of serious crimes

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Saudi diplomats sent home after being accused of serious crimes

By DANIEL BATES - More by this author » Last updated at 00:52am on 4th July 2007


Seven Saudi Arabian diplomats have been forced to leave Britain in the past decade after being accused of serious criminal offences, it has emerged.
One of the alleged incidents was an indecent assault on an 11-year-old girl.

The Saudis are among the 28 foreign envoys in total who have been withdrawn for alleged crimes ranging from shoplifting to supplying drugs and rape.

All escaped prosecution because of their diplomatic immunity.

After Saudi Arabia, the country with the second-highest number of expulsions was South Africa. Three of its diplomats were withdrawn, over an alleged indecent assault and two robberies.

Third was Morocco with two for claims of rape and assault.

None of the diplomats has been named. However all would have avoided prosecution under British law because under the terms of the 1961 Vienna Convention they, their families and staff have immunity. More than 24,000 foreign embassy staff are entitled to this immunity.

The details were revealed to Tory MP Shailesh Vara yesterday in The Commons in a written answer by Foreign Office Minister Kim Howells.

Mr Vara said the list was "shameful" and showed some diplomats think they are above the law. He said: "It is extraordinary that diplomats in these countries who are supposed to be building good relations between their country and ours should be committing these alleged crimes.

"Perhaps in the case of someone who had committed a serious crime consideration should be given to waiving their diplomatic immunity."

The alleged attack on the 11-year-old is though to have been one reported in newspapers in 2004.

In that case, a Saudi official, 41, was at a party at the house of another embassy in London on July 26. He was said to have gone into the girl's bedroom and molested her.

The diplomat was arrested and taken to a local police station but claimed diplomatic immunity. Detectives had to release him without charge.

The Foreign Office was made aware of the case and was in contact with the Saudi embassy over it. Normal practice in such cases is that the Foreign Office will ask for diplomatic immunity.

Other countries on the list include Kuwait which had to remove a diplomat in 1997 over domestic violence allegations. Italy had to remove an official in 1999 after shoplifting claims. In 2001 France and Germany had to eject representatives over alleged assaults, one on a policeman.

Also in 2001 a Mongolian diplomat was withdrawn after being accused of cigarette smuggling.

Earlier this week the Foreign Office released separate figures that showed foreign diplomats in this country allegedly committed 30 serious offences in the last two years.

Another embarrassment for the Government is the refusal of many embassies to pay the £8-a-day congestion charge.

London Assembly figures show more than £4.5million is now unpaid in congestion charges and fines.

And last month former Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett revealed embassies still owe £448,965 between them in outstanding parking and traffic fines. Staff at the Saudi Embassy were the worst offenders having run up almost £30,000 worth of unpaid fines, followed by China which ran up £26,000.

Saudi diplomats sent home after being accused of serious crimes | the Daily Mail