European and US teams are trying to reach a deal on...
European and US teams are trying to reach a deal on extraditing terror suspects who may face the death penalty if convicted in a US court
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European and US teams are trying to reach a deal on extraditing terror suspects who may face the death penalty if convicted in a US court.
EU home and justice ministers and US Attorney General John Ashcroft thrashed out a number of key issues at their Saturday lunch meeting in Denmark including cooperation on sharing information and details of ongoing operations.
But it was the extradition of terror suspects -- from the EU to the US -- that proved difficult as the EU Convention on Human Rights bans extraditions where a suspect could be executed if convicted.
There have been similar legal wrangles between the EU and US in the cases of criminals arrested in the EU who are wanted in the US for executionable offences.
In previous individual cases, including murder suspects, extradition has been granted with a guarantee that the US legal system will not seek the death penalty if the suspect is convicted, but no hard and fast rules have been laid down.
Danish Justice Minister Lene Espersen, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency, said: "It is apparent that the EU is based on the Convention on Human Rights but I feel we will be able to reach an agreement of mutual benefit."
Ashcroft said any final deal would be made public to EU citizens.
He called the meeting "candid and constructive" and said both sides agreed there was much to do before any agreement on extraditions would be reached.
Before the meeting Espersen had told reporters that "no EU country will extradite suspects to the United States" if they risk capital punishment.
The 15-member EU also is reluctant to provide information on suspects if it could lead to capital punishment. In August Germany said it would not provide the United States with information on accused September 11 conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui without a guarantee that the information would not be used to secure a death penalty.
Germany, Portugal, Greece and Austria have told their EU partners they have constitutional problems with extradition.
EU home and justice ministers and US Attorney General John Ashcroft thrashed out a number of key issues at their Saturday lunch meeting in Denmark including cooperation on sharing information and details of ongoing operations.
But it was the extradition of terror suspects -- from the EU to the US -- that proved difficult as the EU Convention on Human Rights bans extraditions where a suspect could be executed if convicted.
There have been similar legal wrangles between the EU and US in the cases of criminals arrested in the EU who are wanted in the US for executionable offences.
In previous individual cases, including murder suspects, extradition has been granted with a guarantee that the US legal system will not seek the death penalty if the suspect is convicted, but no hard and fast rules have been laid down.
Danish Justice Minister Lene Espersen, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency, said: "It is apparent that the EU is based on the Convention on Human Rights but I feel we will be able to reach an agreement of mutual benefit."
Ashcroft said any final deal would be made public to EU citizens.
He called the meeting "candid and constructive" and said both sides agreed there was much to do before any agreement on extraditions would be reached.
Before the meeting Espersen had told reporters that "no EU country will extradite suspects to the United States" if they risk capital punishment.
The 15-member EU also is reluctant to provide information on suspects if it could lead to capital punishment. In August Germany said it would not provide the United States with information on accused September 11 conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui without a guarantee that the information would not be used to secure a death penalty.
Germany, Portugal, Greece and Austria have told their EU partners they have constitutional problems with extradition.
— SOURCES
- (Sources: CNN website, Reuters website, 14/09/2002)
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