SHAREHOLDERS attending the annual general meeting of leading defence manufacturer British Aerospace (BAe) in London yesterday were involved in a physical confrontation between protesters and security men in a demonstration over arms sales to Saudi Arabia.

Protesters, who invaded the meeting, hurled eggs at the board of directors and screamed abuse at them. One man was carried out of the conference centre after he tried to make a citizen's arrest of the company bosses.

BAe said that a number of scuffles broke out as security men swamped the hall in an attempt to expel the protesters. About 100 individuals had purchased company shares just to gain access to the meeting, BAe said.

One of the shareholders, Labour MP Mr George Galloway used the meeting to raise questions about an alleged plot to silence leading Saudi dissident Mr Mohammed Al Massari.

Mr Al Massari has been highly critical of the Saudi regime, bombarding the royal household there with faxes outlining human rights abuses in the country from his base in Britain, where he lives as a political exile.

Mr Galloway warned the BAe board of the dangers in supplying the Saudi regime with arms.

But the BAe chief executive denied any involvement in the Al Massari affair, saying it was a matter for the British government.

BAe said that, despite the disruption, the business of the day was completed.