UK: Paris bomb suspect to be returned to France

Swissinfo ^ | April 04 2003 | Reuters

[knighthawk]

LONDON (Reuters) - A judge has ordered the extradition to France of an Algerian man accused of involvement in a 1995 bombing campaign on the Paris subway that killed eight people.

Rachid Ramda faces charges in France of conspiracy to murder and conspiracy to cause explosions.

"At a committal hearing today it was decided that extradition could proceed," a Home Office spokesman said on Friday.

Ramda now has 15 days to appeal against the decision, which must also be approved by Home Secretary David Blunkett.

The case caused a diplomatic row between Britain and France when the London High Court last October overruled British government approval for Ramda's extradition.

Ramda, who was arrested in Britain in 1997, is alleged to have provided logistical and financial support for three attacks, including one in July 1995 in a commuter train at the Saint Michel station in central Paris which killed eight people and wounded 150.

Algeria's Armed Islamic Group (GIA) claimed responsibility for the attacks.

[knighthawk]

Ping

[trebb]

I would have thought that France would rather have Hans Blix frisk the guy to make sure he no longer had any weapons, then let him live his life.

[sticker]

Shouldn't the UN be handling this, I mean just because he committed a crime against the frogs why do they have the right to do anything about it.

[Semper Vigilantis]

LONDON (Rooters) - France has surrendered to an Algerian man accused of involvement in a 1995 bombing campaign on the Paris subway that killed eight people.

"At a committal hearing today it was decided that the surrender could proceed," a Home Office spokesman said on Friday.

Ramda, who claims that the explosion was never intended to over throw the french government, now has 15 days to appeal against the decision, which must also be approved by Home Secretary David Blunkett.