FOREIGN Secretary Robin Cook faced fresh embarrassment last night over the arms-to-Africa affair after he was forced to admit the Foreign Office had received five separate intelligence reports about Sandline International's activities in Sierra Leone, writes Benedict Brogan, Political Editor.

Mr Cook used a written Commons answer to correct the version of events he gave to MPs last week, when he said neither diplomats nor Ministers had seen any intelligence reports.

The latest twist in the increasingly complex affair that centres on the Foreign Office's role in a Sandline-led counter-coup in Sierra Leone earlier this year will fuel concerns over Mr Cook's management of his department.

Last night, he faced calls for a Commons statement from Liberal Democrat foreign affairs spokes-man Menzies Campbell.

''In view of the fact that this answer seems inconsistent with what Mr Cook said last week, the Foreign Secretary should come to the despatch box at the earliest opportunity and explain the apparent differences,'' he said.

In a written answer, Mr Cook said the reports would be made available to Sir Thomas Legg's independent inquiry into the Sandline affair announced on Monday. They were all sent between October 8 last year - when the UN arms embargo on Sierra Leone was adopted into British law - and March 10, when the Foreign Office formally referred the allegations of sanctions-busting to Customs.

Mr Cook said reports referred to ''Sandline, or companies associated with Sandline, and to the supply of arms or military equipment''. He added: ''They were seen by officials, but not by Ministers.''

On Monday, Customs announced it would not be pressing criminal charges against Sandline, even though breaches of the UN arms embargo might have taken place.

In the Commons on Monday, Mr Cook disclosed that Sandline boss, former Guards officer Lieutenant Colonel Tim Spicer, had warned Foreign Office officials on January 19 that he believed someone else was planning to run guns to Sierra Leone, and he asked whether it would be legal. However, the Foreign Office did not alert Customs to their concerns until almost one month later.

Last night, Lieutenant Colonel Spicer spoke in public for the first time since the row broke and disputed Mr Cook's version of events. He insisted he kept both the Foreign Office and the US State Department informed of what his firm was doing, and denied officials had warned him about the United Nations embargo on arms to Sierra Leone.