we tried, but never do we give up!

MPs Stick By Fast-Track Extraditions

.

25/10/2006

.

By Greg Hurst, Political Correspondent

.

THE Government has blocked plans to protect Britons from “fast track” extradition to the United States, accusing critics of the extradition laws of scare-mongering.

.

A predicted rebellion by Labour MPs failed to materialise as some government backbenchers balked yesterday at changing extradition rules at the behest of “rich bankers” such as the NatWest Three.

.

Ministers dismissed claims that defendants extradited to the US would not face a fair trial and appealed to MPs to put the interests of victims first.

.

Joan Ryan, a Home Office Minister, told the Commons: “If these citizens stand accused of a serious crime, we should facilitate justice — and that is what this treaty is about.”

.

The proposed amendments to the Police and Justice Bill, which were introduced by the Opposition and backed by the Liberal Democrats, were defeated by 320 votes to 263, a government majority of 57. Among those who voted against the Government were the former Labour ministers Keith Vaz and Frank Field. Clare Short, who resigned the Labour whip last week, also voted with the opposition. Under the amendments the US authorities would need to submit more evidence to extradite Britons, and judges could insist that trials were heard in Britain.

.

Tory MPs said yesterday that the Anglo-American extradition treaty, signed in 2003, was imbalanced. They said that British authorities had to produce prima facie evidence showing “probable cause” to extradite an American, but the US had only to show that allegations had been made.

.

However, Ms Ryan told MPs that there was “rough parity” in the tests. She said that the requirement on the US was similar to the test of “reasonable suspicion”. Dismissing claims that extradited Britons would not get a fair trial in the US, Ms Ryan said that America was a “trusted partner with a legal system in a democracy of very long standing with whom we have had relations for over 100 years”.

.

She said that Lord Falconer of Thoroton, the Lord Chancellor, and John Reid, the Home Secretary, were discussing plans with Alberto Gonzales, the US Attorney-General, to improve information sharing between prosecutors in cases spanning both countries. Some Labour MPs demonstrated their hostility to changing extradition laws to help defendants such as the NatWest Three, the investment bankers awaiting trial for fraud charges in Texas. John Redwood, Tory MP for Wokingham, faced cat-calls from Labour MPs when he said that the Tories had been told that the extradition treaty was needed to fight terrorism, not “white-collar crime”. He asked why such defendants should be taken from their families when they were unlikely to flee. In response to some barracking from the government benches, he said: “They are your constituents as well as ours.” Ms Ryan replied: “Fraud is not entitled to some kind of exemption. There is no such thing as a victimless crime.”

.

Later, Andrew Dismore, Labour MP for Hendon, said that there were people who faced trial in the US who should be tried in Britain. However, those who were most as risk were defendants from minority communities, “not rich bankers”.

.

SOURCE: The Times http://www.cageprisoners.com/articles.php?id=17193