The Hindu : International : Britain-U.S. row over extradition

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Wednesday, Jul 12, 2006

International

International

Britain-U.S. row over extradition

Hasan Suroor

LONDON: Britain is embroiled in a quiet diplomatic tussle with America over the extradition of three high-profile British bankers wanted in the U.S. on fraud charges in connection with the collapse of the erstwhile energy giant, Enron.

Prime Minister Tony Blair is under pressure from political parties, human rights groups and the business community to halt the extradition of the three men — David Bermingham, Gary Mulgrew and Giles Darby — on grounds that the extradition arrangements are unfairly weighted in favour of America.

Under the provisions, America is not required to make a prima facie case when it wants someone extradited from Britain. But Britain has to convince American courts that a prima facie legal case exists against a person for extradition.

This is because the 2003 extradition treaty, pushed through British Parliament in the wake of 9/11 attacks to facilitate extradition of terrorists, has still not been ratified by the U.S. Senate.

Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett is to raise the issue with her U.S. counterpart Condoleezza Rice in Washington later week. This is likely to be followed by a visit to America by Home Office Minister Baroness Scotland to put pressure on American lawmakers.

"I want to have the opportunity to explain face-to-face our frustration at the Senate's delay,'' she wrote in Financial Times on Monday.

Five former Tory Ministers, including the one-time Foreign Secretary, Malcolm Rifkind, said in a joint statement it was "entirely unacceptable'' that British citizens should be extradited to the U.S. for alleged offences against British companies committed in this country.

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