UK knew coup was planned

Robin Cook - office did know about coup weeks before it happened

The Foreign Secretary's private office knew in advance about the planned military coup in Sierra Leone, the government has admitted.

In a series of written replies on the Arms to Africa affair, Robin Cook disclosed that a telegram about the coup that removed the regime of Johnny Paul Koroma from power was copied by Foreign Office officials to his private office.

The telegram was sent on February 6 - several weeks before President Kabbah was restored to power in March.

Mr Cook said the office of the minister for Africa Tony Lloyd was also informed at the same time.

But the Foreign Secretary said in the answer he knew nothing about alleged breaches of United Nations sanctions until April 28.

That was when he read a letter from British "military consultants" Sandline International alleging official collusion in arms shipments.

Sandline are the company at the centre of the affair whose boss claimed this week to have kept the Foreign Office fully informed of the firm's activities.

However, Lt Col Tim Spicer admitted he did not know how much of this information was passed on to ministers.

'Unprecedented step'

On Thursday, the Tories attacked Foreign Secretary Robin Cook for his "unacceptable behaviour" over the affair.

Mr Cook has refused demands from the Foreign Affairs Committee to hand over all relevant telegrams from diplomats.

This prompted the committee to take the unusual step of issuing a special report, asking the Commons for advice.

The Shadow Leader of the Commons, Gillian Shephard, demanded to know what arrangements the government was putting in place to seek parliamentary opinion following the committee's "unprecedented step".

But Leader of the House Ann Taylor stood her ground: "You will know that when Mr Cook wrote to the Select Committee, he did say it was a long-standing practice of any party in government that telegrams should not be made public.

"Telegrams, like other classified documents, frequently contain frank and other sensitive reports of exchanges with other governments or with individuals who expect their confidences to be respected."

She went on: "I think there is no point in the House trying to pre-empt the independent inquiry which has already been announced and whose findings will be made public."

Customs take no action

In another written reply, Mr Cook disclosed that Britain's special adviser to Sierra Leone, John Flynn, had "kept in regular contact" with the Foreign Office.

Foreign office minister Tony Lloyd met special adviser John Flynn in March

Mr Flynn, who had been in Sierra Leone since January 9, met Mr Lloyd on March 19, Mr Cook disclosed.

An independent inquiry into Foreign Office handling of the affair is being headed by former civil servant Sir Thomas Legg.

Customs have said that no action will be taken against London-based Sandline for shipping 30 tonnes of arms to pro-Kabbah forces in Sierra Leone.

According to newspaper reports, Customs officials stated unofficially that although it was believed the firm did breach sanctions, meetings between Sandline and Foreign Office officials weakened the case against the "military consultants."