Belgium scraps war crimes law | BBC

[Ediacara]

Belgium scraps war crimes law

Belgium's new government has confirmed it is repealing a controversial law which gives the courts power to try all cases of war crimes no matter where they were committed or by whom.

Guy Verhofstadt - who took office as prime minister for a second term on Saturday - said the new coalition had decided as one of its first acts to scrap the law, which has angered the United States.

Under a new bill, only war crimes cases involving Belgians, or foreigners living in Belgium, would be considered, he said.

Several world leaders - President Bush, UK Prime Minister Tony Blair and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon - had cases filed against them under the "universal competence" law.

More at the BBC

[umcwb]

1. Shame they won't be able to come after Bush,

But I must confess that I never really like the idea that American citizens could be yanked away and tried without the protections of our Constitution.

[sally343434]

2. Ashcroft/Bush are doing it now

> I never really like the idea that American citizens could be
> yanked away and tried without the protections of our Constitution.

You mean like what Ashcroft is doing?