London - An Iranian-born arms dealer who spied for Britain was released from London's top security jail yesterday after a deal designed to stop information about controversial MI6 operations from being disclosed in court.
For nine years Mr Jamshid Hashemi (63) was used by MI6 to help set up deals with Iran, including the purchase of Silkworm missiles from China. He also contributed thousands of pounds to the Tory party.
After the dropping of two charges which, if pursued, would have been particularly embarrassing to the security and intelligence agencies and, later, two further charges, he pleaded guilty in December to separate counts of fraud.
He was arrested in Dublin in 1997 trying to fly to the US on a false passport.