Amnesty International criticised the planned extradition...

Amnesty International criticised the planned extradition deal between the European Union and the United States, saying the pact contained "serious flaws" regarding human rights. The unprecedented pact was part of an EU pledge to help in the US fight against terrorism after the September 11 attacks. Diplomats said that EU states had won the right to deny extradition in cases where the death penalty could be applied or enforced. But Amnesty International said the proposed deal was too vague on the question of denying the extradition of anyone from Europe who could face the death penalty in the United States and that guarantees on fair trials were ambiguous. "Here is an agreement essentially negotiated in secret and due to be automatically approved... which still contains serious flaws as far as human rights guarantees are concerned," said Dick Oosting, director of Amnesty International's EU Office. He said Amnesty was also worried that someone could be extradited to face one of the military tribunals endorsed by US President George W. Bush to try terrorist suspects, tribunals with the power to impose the death penalty.