[Stringfellow]

Speaking as someone who makes his living in the defence industry I can tell you this case is being closely followed by a lot of people. It is worth noting this man broke no UK laws, broke no EU law! Broke no UN sanctions. Only the US decided he had done something wrong and started a court case. The precedent set here is very concerning and before anybody remarks that this is risk of being involved in the defence industry let me make clear this man sold batteries, his business is batteries and he responded to a public tender on a recognised EU website. The US case is that these batteries are intended for military equipment in Iran, the same batteries that are used in non military commercial applications. This is the equivalent of selling a battery that fits a Ford Transit and being told you are in trouble because they also fit a Humvee

[lloydah]

And as someone who has a son who works in the same industry I don’t know whether to be more angry or frightened.

It makes you want to knock heads together at Gov. level.

[Cedric_Statherby]

I draw two conclusions from Mr Tappin’s deplorable treatment:

1. The good name of the United States has been trashed and more and more people are seeing them as two faced – for justice if it suits them and for strong-arm power if it doesn’t. Plea-bargaining is not justice and has no place in a judicial system which aims to find the truth.

2. The British Government has spotted this and sinews have been stiffened. I would not be at all surprised if the diplomatic channels were not busy telling the Americans that the point blank refusal to surrender Gary McKinnon was a direct consequence of the national disquiet over the treatment of Tappin.

We are I think a significant step closer to repudiating this unfair, unjust and one-sided extradition treaty. And I for one am pleased to see it.

[Cedric_Statherby]

And as a follow-up thought I wonder how long it will take the UK authorities to release Mr Tappin from his custodial sentence once he is back in a British jail. Shall we start the bidding at 1 day?

[MartynSinclair]

More to the point, if Mr Tappin is sent back to serve his “sentence” or “sales tax” in a British prison, are the Americans going to foot his custodial bill or will it be assumed that the dog tail will wag willingly at the prospoect of covering a bill that should be settled by the Americans.

It is pleasing to see that the American economy cant be all the bad – this charade must have cost millions!

[LuganoPirate]

Cedric, I fully agree with your first comment, trouble is the US likes to think of itself as the world policeman and wants (and does) impose its will worldwide by diplomacy or force. Unfortunately this often has disastrous consequences. Witness Iraq, Chile etc.

On the second part, he will serve his 33 months if that is the sentence, and if parole is denied. My understanding of allowing prisoners to serve time in their home country is that person remains a prisoner of, in this case, the US justice system. If he is eligible for parole, it will be a US parole board that will decide. If he gets a Presidential pardon (unlikely) that too will apply. I believe the justice system concerned can even demand the person be returned.

As to who pays. Under international treaties we will. If a US person, convicted and imprisoned in the UK is sent to the US to serve his time, the US will pay. Will be interesting to see if Hamza, when convicted, will apply to serve his time in the UK!

[MartynSinclair]

It seems when the roles are reversed, the Americans show no respect for other legal jurisdictions……

http://news.sky.com/story/1069850/amanda-knox-faces-retrial-over-kercher-death

Quote taken about 1/4 of the way down the article.

“It is possible that she will be tried in absentia in the new hearing, which will take place in Florence, because the United States does not normally extradite its citizens to face legal action.”

[LuganoPirate]

I don’t think the Americans have ever shown any respect for other legal jurisdictions!

Having said that I have many wonderful American friends who are often ashamed of the way their government acts, be it Republican or Democrat, so this is really a governmental attitude rather than a populous one!

[MartynSinclair]

I wonder how the USA are going to deal with a request by Italy for the extradition of a convicted murderer…..

Whilst Mr Tappin remains incarcerated for the time being, as a British businessman, I am still concerned.

The Americans protect their own – we shall now see by how much…..

Just read on wiki that Mr Tappin is in Wandsworth (from Sept 2013) serving the remaining time on his sentence….

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Tappin

[LuganoPirate]

Very interesting and there are things in the wiki page not mentioned by the British press. It would seem Tappin was not as innocent as he made out.

Notwithstanding the above, the treaty is still very one sided and a British court should decided if a British citizen should be extradited or not having seen all the evidence.

I really doubt Knox will be extradited, though there is a treaty between the US and Italy, but as usual, the final decision lies with the President. It will be interesting to see what he does but if he denies the request I think the Italians will react quite strongly.

[SergeantMajor]

As in all things, one should be cognisant of who may have written or contributed to the wiki page.

I would suggest that what is written there may not necessarily represent Christopher Tappin’s side of the story. There is probably quite a bit more to this than meets the eye.

[dutchyankee]

LP, I have a doubt the US will extradite her as we have a law in the USA that states an individual can not be tried twice for the same crime, as has now occurred. But who knows. I seriously doubt it however.

[PeterCoultas]

dutchY – re knox there has not been a second trial, merely the usual benefit for lawyers, one of a long series of expensive appeals…

more generally, I see no reason to extradite an accused unless, 1) the offence was committed in one jurisdiction and the accused has fled to another to avoid trial – the appropriate evidence should then be presented to both to justify extradition and 2) to show that the accused’s behaviour was illegal in the jurisdiction to which they had fled…

there was no good reason to extradite Gary as he had not visited the USA and although I am not familiar with the Tappin case, it would seem that he and his activities were UK-based and hence any trial should take place here – no reason to extradite!

These examples of injustice are the consequence of incompetent laws passed by an incompetent parliament!

[maxgeorge]

Alan Derschowitz, commenting yesterday on the BBC about Ms Knox, summed up the US legal system rather succinctly when he opined that it is a “justice” system only for those with the money to buy it.

Mr Tappin will sooner see snow in Manaus than a fair trial in the US.

COMING SOON!!! Iran requests the extradition of the Captain of the USS Vincennes, subsequently promoted by Reagan, for the murder of the passengers aboard the IranAir Boeing he shot down over the Gulf.

Likelihood of the US authorities complying?

See “snow in Manaus”, above.

[JohnHarper]

I seem to remember the Iran Air plane was an A300B4?

Anyway, surely it was just a case of ‘friendly fire’! It’s something the US seem to excel at in spite of all their technology.

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