EXTRADITION TO THE U.S.

It is not only in the U.K. that there are problems with extradition arrangements to the U.S. Last September the Danish authorities agreed for the first time to extradite one of its citizens to a country outside the EU. Camilla Broe, a 43-year old single mother, was wanted by the Americans for alleged drug smuggling.

Yesterday, after spending 6 months in a U.S. jail, Ms. Broe was released, and she will fly back to Denmark tonight. When she eventually came before a judge, it was held that the case should be dropped, since it was out of time (the charges relate to events that happened back in the 1990's). This decision says nothing about Ms. Broe's innocence or guilt in relation to those events.

Since the case failed on procedural grounds, it is worrying that it was allowed to proceed for so long, and on two continents. Surely somebody, somewhere, in either the U.S. or Danish Ministries of Justice, must have known that this would happen? The suspicion lingers that Denmark, a staunch supporter of the Bush administration in its foreign adventures in Iraq and Afghanistan, didn't dig deep enough and ask the right sort of question before making its decision to extradite.

Cooperation between countries in criminal matters is vital, given the internationalisation of many illegal activities. However, there must be corresponding safeguards for individuals, particularly since there is no real world court to appeal to, if things go wrong. The history of Ms. Broe's case, like that of Binyam Mohamed, makes for uncomfortable reading.

Walter Blotscher