US Claims It Has the Right to Kidnap British Citizens

Posted by GottaLaff , Brave New Films at 5:36 AM on December 3, 2007.

GottaLaff: Why should there be boundaries? This is America, after all! Land of the free! As long as you're not the kidnapee, that is.

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This post, written by GottaLaff, originally appeared on Cliff Schecter's Brave New Films Blog

Sorry about the light posting today. I was struggling with my new video program. But that's better than struggling with a kidnapper.

AMERICA has told Britain that it can "kidnap" British citizens if they are wanted for crimes in the United States.

A senior lawyer for the American government has told the Court of Appeal in London that kidnapping foreign citizens is permissible under American law because the US Supreme Court has sanctioned it.

Well, at least they're honest about their crimes. Wait, what?

This reminds me of something though. A lit-tle something ca-a-alled....extraordinary rendition.

The admission will alarm the British business community after the case of the so-called NatWest Three, bankers who were extradited to America on fraud charges. More than a dozen other British executives, including senior managers at British Airways and BAE Systems, are under investigation by the US authorities and could face criminal charges in America.

Until now it was commonly assumed that US law permitted kidnapping only in the "extraordinary rendition" of terrorist suspects.

Why should there be boundaries? This is America, after all! Land of the free! As long as you're not the kidnapee, that is.

The American government has for the first time made it clear in a British court that the law applies to anyone, British or otherwise, suspected of a crime by Washington.

Who needs habeas corpus anyway?

Legal experts confirmed this weekend that America viewed extradition as just one way of getting foreign suspects back to face trial. Rendition, or kidnapping, dates back to 19th-century bounty hunting and Washington believes it is still legitimate.

BushCo has always been a little passive regressive.

Shami Chakrabarti, director of the human rights group Liberty, said: "This law may date back to bounty hunting days, but they should sort it out if they claim to be a civilised nation."

The US Justice Department declined to comment.

Of course they can't comment. Silly Brits. It's an ongoing investigation.

Tagged as: civil liberties, britain, kidnapping

GottaLaff is a regular blogger for Cliff Schecter's Blog

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Time to Kidnap Bush and Company and Extradite to a Country Willing to Prosecute Them [Report this comment] Posted by: rfrancis@godisdead.com on Dec 3, 2007 6:18 AM Current rating: 5 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] Sounds like its time to kidnap Bush and the rest of his administration and bring them to a country that supports prosecuting them over their war crimes from their war of aggression with Iraq and their institutionalized policies of torture. Whats good for the goose is good for the gander. [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] » RE: Time to Kidnap Bush and Company and Extradite to a Country Willing to Prosecute Them Posted by: andrushka Switch Things Around [Report this comment] Posted by: QQOblivion on Dec 3, 2007 6:25 AM Current rating: 5 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] Switch things around. What if it was common practice for other countries -- such as Israel or Russia, or not so friendly nations such as Iran or Syria or N Korea -- to kidnap AMERICANS off the streets of America? What if international law sanctioned such kidnappings? Well, we are setting the standard here. What right would Americans have to complain if US citizens were subject to the same treatment we impose on everyone else? Some people in our government are so stupid, in that they do not think about the consequences of America's actions. [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] » RE: Switch Things Around Posted by: Quannah what's a little "extradition" ... "rendition" between allies? [Report this comment] Posted by: BlueBerry PickN on Dec 3, 2007 7:14 AM Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] habeas corpus? nah, don't need THAT. Will Habeus Corpus Be Declared Dead? a chronology of events as told by Maher Arar, beginning with his arrival at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York on September 26, 2002 Freedoms under Assault - AL GORE: Highlights from 1/06 Speech Blasting Bush Admin Act on Khadr, Harper urged Canada's bar association wants Prime Minister to negotiate with U.S. on bringing detained terror suspect home... only a few years LATE... Harper denies Tories want to bring back death penalty in Canada ...Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day's surprise announcement Thursday that Canada will no longer seek clemency for Canadian murderers sentenced to death in other democratic countries after a fair trial.... "I think Canadians have every right to be wary about where they intend to go," said Ralph Goodale, the Liberal House leader. "This is one of those little cases where the canopy, the tent, the veil has been lifted just a little bit and Canadians are seeing what the real intentions of this crowd would be."... Later, however, Bernier's office issued a statement in which the minister said his comments had been "misrepresented." He reiterated the government line that Canada will no longer "seek clemency in cases in democratic countries, like the United States, where there has been a fair trial." There are 64 countries that still invoke the death penalty, including Japan, China, Afghanistan, Guatemala, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Jordan. Liberals badgered the government to explain how it intends to judge which countries are sufficiently democratic to warrant allowing them to execute Canadians without a word of protest from Canada's government. ... Harper also suggested that seeking clemency for Smith would amount to interfering in the debate over capital punishment in the U.S. "I think we'll leave that for the Americans," he said ... Mark Warren of Amnesty International said it's "more than a little ironic" that Canada is supporting the UN resolution at the same time that it's washing its hands of Canadians facing execution abroad. Private prison operators waiting to cash in on Harper policies Tory law and order platform may produce a 'spike' in demand for prison space and add billions to the Canadian corrections budget Harper's get-tough policy may not work === BlueBerry Pick'n can be found @ ThisCanadian ~~~ "We, two, form a Multitude" ~ Ovid. ~~~ "Silent Freedom is Freedom Silenced" [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] » RE: what's a little "extradition" ... "rendition" between allies? Posted by: AMERICAN VETERAN Interesting irony... [Report this comment] Posted by: brunowe on Dec 3, 2007 10:18 AM Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] ...given that one of the causes of the War of 1812 was Britain claiming the right to seize "deserters" from American vessels. [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] » RE: Interesting irony... Posted by: Artkansas Time for a name change: [Report this comment] Posted by: hurricane hugo on Dec 3, 2007 10:21 AM Current rating: 5 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] USSA! plur [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] Distraction? [Report this comment] Posted by: Pick Up Artist 4 Life on Dec 3, 2007 6:05 PM Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] It seems like it's just a distraction. All this fear of privacy to take us away from the real issues; finding the right candidate(s) to vote for in the upcoming elections, leaving Iraq, etc. === Enrich your life Becoming A Pick-Up Artist === [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] second amendment [Report this comment] Posted by: whammy on Dec 4, 2007 11:10 AM Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] It's not just for tinfoil hat wearers anymore! 'Tis a shame that Brits can't defend themselves against thugs... [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

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» RE: Time to Kidnap Bush and Company and Extradite to a Country Willing to Prosecute Them Posted by: andrushka

» RE: Switch Things Around Posted by: Quannah

» RE: what's a little "extradition" ... "rendition" between allies? Posted by: AMERICAN VETERAN

» RE: Interesting irony... Posted by: Artkansas

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» RE: Time to Kidnap Bush and Company and Extradite to a Country Willing to Prosecute Them Posted by: andrushka

» RE: Switch Things Around Posted by: Quannah

» RE: what's a little "extradition" ... "rendition" between allies? Posted by: AMERICAN VETERAN

» RE: Interesting irony... Posted by: Artkansas