UK terrorism suspect extradited to US News
UK terrorism suspect extradited to US

[JURIST] Mentally ill British man Haroon Aswat was extradited to the US Tuesday to face terrorism charges after losing a nine-year legal battle. Aswat was accused of trying to set up a terrorist training camp in Bly, Oregon, 15 years ago, conspiring with radical cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri [BBC profile; JURIST news archives]. Aswat had been fighting extradition since his arrest on a US warrant in 2005. Britain’s High Court ruled [judgment] in April that Aswat, who has been treated for paranoid schizophrenia, could be extradited if US authorities assured that he would continue to be treated for his condition.

In September 2013 the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) [official website] rejected a request for Aswat’s extradition [JURIST report] due to the seriousness and possible deterioration of his mental health. In April of last year the ECHR blocked his extradition [JURIST report], reasoning that the transfer would violate Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights [text, PDF] which prohibits “inhumane and degrading treatment.” In July 2010 the ECHR stayed the extradition [JURIST report] of Aswat, Hamza and two other terrorism suspects from the UK to the US, holding that potential punishment could violate Human Rights Convention.

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