This asset freeze- like the seizure of the oil tanker off the coast of Gibraltar- was influenced by Washington. Bloomberg reported on January 25 that the Bank of England’s decision was influenced by the intervention of top US officials, including Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, and National Security advisor, John Bolton.
In March 2011 the UK froze £2 billion worth of assets belonging to the Libyan Investment Authority and allied entities. This action was justified on the grounds of enforcing sanctions on the former Libyan regime of Muammar Gaddafi. The assets remain frozen and has recently been revealed that the British authorities are collecting taxes on the blocked funds.
In April 2012 the Egyptian government strongly criticised Britain for “not helping enough” with the recovery of stolen Egyptian assets.
The suspicion was that the Mubarak era officials who had misappropriated, if not stolen, funds had agreed to invest their ill begotten gains in Britain.
Prior to the oil tanker incident, British adventurism on the world stage has, so far, gone unanswered, however this shall be the case as the supreme leader has promised that London shall pay the price.