Hope for British bankers detained in Bahrain?

Three British bankers who have been banned for more than a year from leaving Bahrain, without any charges being brought against them, appear hopeful that the UK’s new foreign secretary, William Hague, will use his friendly links with Bahrain to take up their case.

William Hague visited Bahrain in July and tweeted at the time that he had had a “short stop in Bahrain on the way back from Kabul to meet the Crown Prince of Bahrain and my friend and colleague the Foreign Minister.”

According to the Bahrain-based newspaper, the Gulf Daily News (6 September 2010), the three bankers have now written to the foreign secretary asking for help. Government sources in the UK confirm that the men will receive a response, unlike from the previous foreign secretary, David Milliband.

The three bankers Alistair MacLeod, Anthony James and Cliff Giddings worked as senior managers at Awal Bank until its collapse last year. The well-connected Gulf Daily News reported earlier that prosecutors had imposed a travel ban on Bahrain-based senior executives as investigations continued into the bank's closure in July last year. However, it is understood the three men have not been formally charged with a crime.

Awal Bank was owned by Saudi billionaire Maan Al Sanea, who is being sued by his wife's family, the Algosaibis, over allegations that he perpetrated a $10bn fraud. Separately, Abu Dhabi's The National newspaper reported on 3 August 2010 that recent Cayman and US court rulings meant claims by the Al Gosaibi group against Mr al Sanea should be heard and decided in Saudi Arabia.

Click here to read the Gulf Daily News article