NatWest three lose extradition battle
By Christopher Hope, Industry Editor
(Filed: 28/06/2006)
Three Britons must be extradited to face a fraud trial in the United States, the European Court of Human Rights ruled yesterday.
David Bermingham, Gary Mulgrew and Giles Darby must leave Britain for Houston by midnight on July 17. There, the former NatWest bankers could be held in jail for two years while the case is assembled because they are seen in the US as "fugitives from justice" after their legal battle.
Last night, a "very shocked" Mr Bermingham, who has fought extradition since 2001, said: "It's over."
The ruling was attacked by opposition MPs and business leaders. Dominic Grieve, the shadow attorney general, said: "We remain concerned about the sweeping use of extradition powers to extradite to the US in cases of alleged white collar crime which appear, on the face of it, to have little to do with the US.
"We understand why the business community is alarmed at the use by the US of these extradition provisions that were sold by the Government to the public and Parliament as having particular relevance to terrorism."
Business leaders, who say the 2003 Extradition Treaty with the US has not been reciprocated by America, plan to march to the Home Office in protest tomorrow.
The three deny conspiracy to defraud NatWest of £12 million, of which £6.6 million is alleged to have been shared by two Enron executives.

27 June 2006: Business: Businessmen urged to join march against treaty
23 June 2006 Business: Refusal by Law Lords a setback for extradition campaigners
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