Belgium debates revised war-crimes law - to shield Sharon, Bush, Blair [View All]

[dArKeR]

Belgian lawmakers Thursday debated a more limited law for prosecuting war crimes to replace legislation that had become a political liability because of cases filed against several other world leaders.

Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt's government introduced the bill after the administration of U.S. President George W. Bush threatened to pull NATO headquarters out of Belgium unless the 1993 law were scrapped. That threat was made after charges were filed against U.S. and British officials relating to the Iraq war.

The justice committee of Belgium's House of Representatives began considering the bill Thursday, and parliament is expected to pass it by Aug. 1.

The 1993 law gave Belgian courts powers to hear war-crimes complaints regardless of where the events occurred or of the nationality of those involved.

But the government was embarrassed when charges were filed against international officials, including British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and U.S. General Tommy Franks, who commanded the recent war in Iraq.

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