Main Index

Section Six Index:
Mohamed 'Al' Fayed - the facts

Articles 1-30

Articles 46-56

"Fayeds' £20m HoF loss" by Lorana Sullivan
Sullivan gives an account of House of Fraser's heavy losses due to interest payments on massive borrowings taken out since the company's acquisition by the Fayed brothers.

No. 31: The Observer
12 April 1987

"Mohamed and the DTI" by Melvyn Marckus
Following the appointment of DTI Inspectors, the Observer's City editor looks forward to their investigation into the Fayed brothers' acquisition of House of Fraser.

No. 32: The Observer
3 May 1987

"Forbes on the Fayeds" by Lorana Sullivan
Sullivan reports an article in the US magazine Forbes, concerning a meeting between the Sultan of Brunei's spiritual advisers and Mohamed Fayed.

No. 33: The Observer
28 February 1988

"Fayeds' HoF losses mount" by Lorana Sullivan
After rumours that Mohamed Fayed could buy Texaco's German interests, financial expert Lorana Sullivan sifts House of Fraser's accounts and draws her conclusions.

No. 34: The Observer
1 May 1988

"Harrods, the Al-Fayeds and me - by the Sultan" by Peregrine Worstehorne
The Sunday Telegraph's editor, Perry Worstehorne, flies to Brunei and obtains the Sultan's categorical denial that Mohamed Fayed had used his money to buy Harrods.

No. 35: Sun. Telegraph
29 May 1988

"The Observer defeats Al-Fayed injunction" by Lorana Sullivan
Lorana Sullivan reports on Mohamed Fayed's recent High Court action against the Observer, in which Fayed had attempted to gag the paper.

No. 36: The Observer
13 July 1988

"August D-day for Fayeds" by Melvyn Marckus
Marckus anticipates the publication of the DTI report, and comments on a front-page splash in the Guardian implying that Lonrho could be prosecuted for assorted offences.

No. 37: The Observer
31 July 1988

"Publish and be damned" by Melvyn Marckus
Marckus demands the publication of the DTI report, and reviews a Channel 4 programme on the Fayeds' acquisition of House of Fraser, 'The Harrods Sale.'

No. 38: The Observer
31 July 1988

"The Fayed empire under scrutiny" by John Plender
The programme maker behind Channel 4's 'The Harrods Sale' writes up his investigation and conclusions for the Financial Times.

No. 39:Financial Times
2 August 1988

"Harrods: No hiding place" Leading Article
The Observer's editor calls for Trade Secretary Lord Young to cast aside diplomatic considerations and publish the DTI Inspectors' report immediately.

No. 40: The Observer
7 August 1988

"The Harrods scandal" by Tiny Rowland
Lonrho's chief executive and the Observer's chairman, Tiny Rowland, gives an insight into the behind-the-scenes goings on prior to the sale of Harrods to his Egyptian rival.

No. 41: The Observer
14 August 1988

"Rowland steps up war of words against the Al-Fayeds" by Jim Levi
The Observer's former deputy Business editor, now with the Guardian, reports Lonrho's publication of a booklet about Mohamed Fayed entitled: 'A Hero from Zero'.

No. 42: The Guardian
31 August 1988

"A Hero from Zero" by Melvyn Marckus
With wit and irony the Observer's City editor reviews his proprietor's latest salvo against Mohamed Fayed.

No. 43: The Observer
4 September 1988

"Harrods: The SFO moves in" by Michael Gillard, M. Marckus, & L. Sullivan
The Observer's financial team report the involvement of Scotland Yard's Serious Fraud Office, and the likely delay to the publication of the DTI report as a consequence.

No. 44: The Observer
2 October 1988

"Young: 'it's my ball' " by Melvyn Marckus
The Observer's City editor mocks Trade Secretary Lord Young over his recent decision not to refer the Fayeds' acquisition of House of Fraser to the Monopolies Commission.

No. 45: The Observer
27 November 1988

Articles 46-56