Czechs reopen probe in jet fighters deal

PRAGUE

The Czech prosecutor general says she has ordered police to reopen a corruption inquiry into a 2002 lucrative deal to buy 24 JAS-39 Gripen jet fighters.

Renata Vesecka said Friday the previous police investigation was not done properly and more work still has to be done.

The government originally agreed to buy the jet fighters by Sweden's Saab and Britain's BAE Systems in April 2002 but had to cancel that plan after devastating floods in 2002 left the country with a staggering cleanup bill.

It later decided to lease 14 of the same jet fighters.

BAE recently agreed to pay large fines to settle long-running U.S. and British investigations of allegations of bribery involving contracts in Tanzania, the Czech Republic and Hungary.