Reply #59: I've no comment on this case itself

[Ghost Dog]

...other than to say I have the impression there is a case. And observe that Enron investors and workers who lost out were international.

But I'd like to add this comment from the Guardian, July 4th (and there's plenty more in their pages): http://business.guardian.co.uk/story/0,,1812473,00.html

This morning, Sir Menzies said the department should act to put right an injustice caused by "a piece of ineptitude" by the government.

Under the treaty - ratified by London but not Washington - no prima facie evidence has to be produced and it does not matter that the alleged offence happened in the UK and is not being pursued by British authorities.

Sir Menzies demanded action to halt the extradition. "What they could do is put an Act of Parliament quickly through, suspending any obligations under the treaty until such time as the United States Senate - which has the constitutional responsibility in America - ratifies the treaty," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

"We have this extraordinary situation in which we essentially have a unilateral treaty. Both countries signed this treaty. Britain has ratified it. We've changed our domestic legislation so it conforms to the treaty.

"But in the United States the Senate - largely under the influence of the Irish lobby, which is determined to prevent any question of suspected IRA terrorists being extradited back to the United Kingdom - simply refuses to sign.

"It's a piece of ineptitude on the part of the Government, and particularly the Home Office, which has got to be put right."

This refers to the new 'patriotic' UK-US extradition treaty whereby the UK extradites UK citzens and residents to the US for trial (and don't even mention 'rendition') just because the US asks the UK to do so, without having to present prima facie evidence (although in this case some evidence has been presented). The US, on the other hand, agreed but has not ratified in the Senate, and therefore does not, no way, do the same for the UK.