Athens lawyers plan international criminal court suit against Britain over Iraq war

AP | 5/22/03

[kattracks]

ATHENS, Greece, May 22, 2003 (AP WorldStream via COMTEX) -- Athens' bar association announced Thursday it planned to sue Britain in the new International Criminal Court for its role in the attacks against Iraq.

The association called the attacks by U.S. and British forces "crimes against humanity and war crimes," as well as violations of international law, human rights and a number of treaties.

But the association said it planned to file suit only against European Union partner Britain. The United States has challenged the court's jurisdiction over Americans.

The Greek public overwhelmingly opposed the war in Iraq and all main political parties supported near-daily demonstrations.

Last week, Bosnia joined more than two dozen other nations in signing an agreement with the United States that exempts Americans from prosecution by the international criminal court. It promised not to extradite U.S. troops and other Americans charged with genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes.

The court, inaugurated on March 12, is charged with intervening only when a country is unable or lacks the political will to carry out a trial. It was signed by 78 nations and is charged with prosecuting crimes committed after July 1, 2002.

[Destro]

You got that last point wrong--NATO is the one that arms and does the coddling of Islamic terrorists in the Balkans.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Big deal. These pathetic loser countries can file suit with any international (read European) kangaroo court they want. Good luck collecting, jagoffs.

[judgeandjury]

Yaaaawwwwnnnnnn.

Hey, thanks for dropping by!

[Destro]

I agree--so why is Bush still funding the UN Courts for Yugoslavia - even providing special forces to hunt down UN wanted suspects?

[Greeklawyer]

the article does not say if this is a mandatory or voluntary bar. the lawyer are in it to make money by making a name for themselves. eu law is the latest fad.

the fools have to explain how they achieve standing. this stinks like the french. the are probable parlament opposition flunkies since CONSERVATIVES are likely winners in the next election. BTW the protests were predominantly commies and out of country anarchists.

greek citizens have their hands full w/ olymmpic planning. the greek gov has gone out of its way to not screw themselves like the french. until i know more about these mediia whores i am not going to bash the greeks. the honored bilateral treaties and did have two ships in the gulf for support.

[geedee]

Based on the Brits ass-kicking Iraqis . . . were I Greek, I think I'd walk softly and drop my stick before I made them mad.

[Greeklawyer]

its says "athens bar" , they don't have standing. this is a pr stunt. they are cowards if they were reeely a power they would have icluded the other eu members who supported the war.

the is sleazy lwyer personal opportnism, nothing is about justice or greek interest. the elgin marble observation is spot on point.

[Greeklawyer]

which is why these lawyers did not sue the usa.

this suit is going nowhere.

note: coawards did not sue poland, spain, itally, denmark....

[ffusco]

I don't blame the Helenes, just their droubi policy of late. Doxi?

[ffusco]

Ella!

[Yardstick]

Well, that's an interesting question. I think the ICC is different from the UN court handling the Yugo trials. The UN, being part of the UN, is more of a horizontal thing -- we agree to it like we agree to a treaty. But the ICC seems more vertical, like it's being propped up over our heads without our consent. This, to me, makes the ICC more dangerous, or at least more detestable.

[longtermmemmory]

ha ha ha ha, these jokers are barking up the wrong tree. They have no authority, they take one seminar on the ICC and obviously flunked.

There are a few choice words I could use to describe these POLITICAL wanabe's.

one that comes to mind besmirches their choice of sexual orientation.

Another would denote their moral character as con artist.

I agree with an earlier post, this is self interest and not about justice.

[Yardstick]

The UN, being part of the UN,...

That should have been:

The UN court, being part of the UN,...

[Smile-n-Win]

But the association said it planned to file suit only against European Union partner Britain. The United States has challenged the court's jurisdiction

Time for the UK to do the same.

[mewzilla]

I notice they're not going to try to sue us...This should be telling Britain something.