Strongly influenced behind the scenes by the Crown family of Chicago, which owned a controlling block of shares, the company sold off most of its military businesses when the Cold War ended in the biggest fire sale the defense sector had ever seen.

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Macdonald, who has family in Great Yarmouth, had been jailed for life at Lewes Crown Court in July 1996 after he admitted arson at a block of flats in Eastbourne, East Sussex.

BBC: Prisoner Edward Macdonald 'tried to burn down building'