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UK against bin Laden execution
December 9, 2001 Posted: 11:15 AM EST (1615 GMT)
Hoon wants to see British troops heading an Afghan peacekeeping force
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LONDON, England -- Britain would hand over terror suspect Osama bin Laden for trial in the United States only if assurances were given that he would not face the death penalty, UK Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon says.
Hoon said he believes the U.S. is the correct venue for any trial of the prime suspect in the September 11 bombings, if he is captured by British troops.
But he said that extradition to the U.S. -- which has the death penalty in some states -- would require "certain undertakings" from the American authorities.
Britain does not extradite suspects to countries with the death penalty unless assurances are secured that they will not face execution.
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This is a provision in the European Convention on Human Rights, to which Britain is a signatory.
Asked what would happen to bin Laden if he fell into the hands of UK troops, Hoon told BBC Television's "Breakfast with Frost" programme on Sunday: "I believe that it would be very important to respect the international legislation relevant to those circumstances.
"That is that the country that has the main call on him as far as bringing him to justice is concerned -- which clearly is the United States -- we should hand him over fairly promptly to face justice in the United States.
"We do extradite people to countries with the death penalty, obviously subject to certain undertakings.
"I see no reason in principle why that shouldn't happen. I would mean, of course, that certain undertakings would have to be given about any penalty he might face."
Asked whether this meant that the US authorities would have to offer assurances that bin Laden would not face execution, Hoon said: "That is the position."
On the "Breakfast with Frost" programme, Hoon restated Britain's readiness to provide troops for an international peacekeeping force in Afghanistan.
But he played down press reports that as many as 10,000 UK troops might be involved in a 50,000-strong force, saying: "I don't believe that necessarily any one country will have such a large number."
U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said on Saturday that Britain -- which led similar operations in the Balkans -- was a possible candidate to lead the international force, and Hoon signalled the UK would be keen to take on such a role.
He said: "I see every advantage in one country providing the main elements of the headquarters of this operation, something that the UK has done very well in the past.
"Certainly, if the United Nations makes a request, we will look at that very, very seriously."
Hoon said that any decision to deploy British peacekeepers would have to be endorsed by the UK parliament, so it was not possible for him to say now whether a U.N. request for assistance would be granted.
But he added: "We are certainly prepared to help with something that is important, as we go on ensuring that Afghanistan has a real future after the tremendous efforts that have been made on the ground in the military campaign.
"We can't afford to let this opportunity slip.
"What is very important is that this is a multinational force and reflects the wide range of support the international community have given to Afghanistan. What is very important is that all those countries who have offered help already are able to participate."
Hoon, who recently raised eyebrows by saying the military action against Osama bin Laden might be extended to targets in other countries where his al Qaeda network had found sanctuary, denied there were plans to attack elsewhere soon.
"We don't support any action in any given country," he said but added that the Afghan campaign had sent a "very clear message" around the world about what could befall pariah nations.
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