May 25th 1997: In Sierra Leone a military junta, led by Major Johnny Paul Koroma, deposes the democratically-elected President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah. He flees to Guinea with Britain's High Commissioner to Sierra Leone, Mr Peter Penfold. The British government partly-finances the exiled government.
October 8th: UN imposes arms embargo on Sierra Leone.
January 1998: Sandline International claims Mr Penfold attends a meeting at which it outlines plans to supply arms and personnel to pro-Kabbah forces in Sierra Leone.
February 25th: President Kabbah reinstated. Foreign Office refers allegations of illegal arms sales by Sandline to Customs and Excise.
March 12th: Foreign Office Minister, Mr Tony Lloyd, says press reports linking Mr Penfold to "hired killers" employed by pro-Kabbah forces were "scurrilous and ill-informed".
April 28th: Foreign Secretary, Mr Robin Cook, shown a letter from Sandline's lawyers detailing alleged contacts with officials at the Foreign Office and the Ministry of Defence. Sandline insists it acted with government approval.
May 5th: Mr Lloyd tells Commons Foreign Affairs Committee he first learned of the Customs and Excise investigation on May 1st.
May 6th: Mr Cook announces independent inquiry into the affair. Insists Sandline did not receive ministerial approval.
May 8th: Sandline releases letter sent to Mr Cook naming six diplomats, including Mr Penfold, who it says were briefed about their plans.
May 11th: The Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, says officials were "quite right" to try to restore Mr Kabbah to power. He dismisses the row as "hoo-hah".
May 12th: Mr Cook makes a statement to the Commons on the affair, angrily denying any sort of Foreign Office "conspiracy" in the affair. Sandline claims papers detailing its involvement in Sierra Leone were sent to Mr Cook and Mr Lloyd's private offices in early March. Foreign Office says no papers were put into Mr Cook's Red Box containing his private papers. Downing Street releases letter from President Kabbah that denies seeking military assistance from Britain.